Former President Donald J. Trump’s legal battle over classified documents took an unexpected turn when a federal judge postponed deadlines to allow prosecutors more time to respond to his request for a broader pause in light of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on executive immunity. This development comes after Mr. Trump’s legal team sought permission to file additional papers to bolster their immunity argument, citing the Supreme Court’s decision granting him wide protections for official acts as president.
Judge Aileen M. Cannon, overseeing the case, agreed to extend deadlines and granted prosecutors until July 18 to respond to Mr. Trump’s request. The postponement of the two approaching deadlines will cause only minor delays in the case, which has already been moving slowly due to unresolved legal issues. Trial dates have not been set, making it unlikely that the case will go before a jury before the November election.
The recent decision by Judge Cannon to push back deadlines included an unusual aspect, where she delayed the filing deadline for consequential legal papers regarding classified materials but allowed the special counsel’s office to proceed if they choose.
Mr. Trump’s lawyers are trying to link the documents case, which focuses on his post-presidency behavior, to the Supreme Court’s ruling on immunity. However, it remains to be seen whether Judge Cannon will entertain the defense’s arguments for immunity in a case where the indictment primarily revolves around actions taken after Mr. Trump left office.
The charges in the documents case allege that Mr. Trump illegally retained national security materials after leaving office and obstructed government efforts to retrieve them. His original claims for immunity were questioned by prosecutors, who argued that designating secret documents as personal property under the Presidential Records Act was not valid.
