The criminal trial of former President Donald Trump regarding classified documents has been postponed indefinitely by a federal judge.

What Happened: The trial, which was set to begin on May 20, has been postponed indefinitely, as per a court filing on Tuesday, reported CNBC.

The charges against Trump include the willful retention of classified national security records after his tenure at the White House, followed by their concealment from federal authorities.

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U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon stated in the court order that it would be imprudent to set a trial date at this point due to unresolved pre-trial issues. These include concerns about the handling of classified information in the high-profile trial of the former president and the additional pre-trial and trial preparations required to present the case to a jury.

Proceeding with the trial in May would be “inconsistent with the Court’s duty to fully and fairly consider” these issues, Cannon wrote. The current trial date of May 20, has been vacated, with a new date to be set following the resolution of these matters.

Why It Matters: Judge Cannon was appointed to the federal bench by Trump in 2020.

Her drawing out the case for over 10 months has observers and political commentators scrutinizing what they say should have been a routine procedure thus far.

The postponement of Trump’s trial also comes amid a charged political climate. In a recent podcast episode, Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz voiced his apprehension about the potential consequences of a second term for Trump. He asserted it would be detrimental to democracy and social justice.

Stiglitz, during his appearance on the "In the City" podcast, also expressed his concerns over the misuse of the term ‘freedom’ by the political right. He believes this misuse is diminishing the freedoms of most people.

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This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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