A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has once again denied former President Donald Trump’s legal team’s requests to dismiss the charges against him in a case involving classified documents. In an order filed on Monday evening, Judge Aileen Cannon rejected claims made by Trump’s defense attorneys and his co-defendants, criticizing prosecutors for including unnecessary allegations in the indictment.
Special counsel Jack Smith has charged Trump with 40 counts, including the unlawful retention of national defense information, after investigators found classified documents at his Florida estate. Trump’s co-defendants, aide Walta Nauta and former Mar-a-Lago employee Carlos de Oliveira, are also accused of obstructing the federal probe.
Despite pleading not guilty, Trump, Nauta, and de Oliveira have made various arguments to dismiss the charges, including claims that the indictment was legally insufficient. Judge Cannon, however, ruled that nearly all of the 60-page indictment would stand, with the exception of a single paragraph describing an alleged incident involving Trump showing classified information to an unauthorized individual.
While critical of the style of the indictment as a “speaking indictment,” Judge Cannon’s ruling aligned with previous criticisms of the special counsel’s approach to the case. She has also raised concerns about the length and content of the charging documents against Trump in past court hearings.
In the ongoing legal battle, Cannon has rejected Trump’s arguments to drop the charges and has set public hearings on various motions in the coming months. The trial date is pending as the judge addresses pretrial matters, while the Supreme Court considers Trump’s claims of presidential immunity from prosecution in another case involving alleged election interference.
The recent ruling represents a setback for Trump as he faces multiple legal challenges, including the pending case in Washington, D.C. The development highlights the complexity and contentious nature of the legal proceedings surrounding the former president’s actions.