The trial against former American President Donald Trump in the affair surrounding the withholding of secret documents has been postponed indefinitely, American media report. The matter will not be concluded before the elections next November, America correspondent Jan Postma expects. “If Trump wins, he can stop the case himself.”
‘Trial against Trump will not start before the elections’
4 min 17 sec
The May 20 start date has been canceled, reports Judge Aileen Cannon, who was appointed by Trump in 2020 and has not yet set a new date for the case. However, the judge has scheduled hearings in preparation for the trial. These last until July 22.
Also read | Porn star Stormy Daniels testifies in case against Trump: ‘Lost my consciousness’
“It is a huge setback for the prosecutor and a huge windfall for Trump,” says Postma. According to him, the case will not be taken up again before the presidential elections in November. ‘And it certainly won’t be possible to complete it before then. So if Trump were to win the election, as president he could stop the case.”
Back entrance
According to Postma, that is exactly what Trump wants. He previously asked to postpone the case until after the elections, but prosecutor Jack Smith disagreed. “Now Trump gets his way through a kind of back entrance.”
Trump is accused of illegally withholding classified documents at his Florida resort after leaving the White House in 2021. According to the indictment, he also tried to hide boxes of classified documents after receiving a subpoena to return them. Trump has always declared himself innocent in the case.
