Trump's Surprising Trial Date Sparks Doubt

The federal government is preparing to take its classified documents case against Donald Trump to trial as early as this summer, giving the former president an unexpected gift as he juggles numerous criminal cases ahead of the Republican presidential primary season in 2024.

But there is already mounting doubt that the case will proceed as quickly as the preliminary start date suggests.

On Tuesday, 11th Circuit Judge Aileen Cannon released an order establishing the start of Trump's jury trial to begin in Florida on August 14, well before the formal start of the presidential primary calendar with the Iowa Caucuses in January.

The expedited start date could be seen as boons not just for Trump, but for Cannon as well, who has faced numerous allegations from the Left of being biased toward the former president. An early trial date, some speculated Tuesday, counters narratives she would seek to delay the proceedings.

That is if the schedule holds. Shortly after the preliminary trial date was set, numerous observers appeared to cast doubt over the speed of the schedule, saying it largely does not fit precedent for the court

Washington, D.C. attorney Mark Zaid questioned the expedited trial date, saying on Twitter that he "cannot fathom a reality where this case goes to trial in August."

"That would be swift justice for sure but so many litigated legal issues will impede occurrence," he tweeted on Tuesday. "That said, certainly appears to initially dispel great deal of criticism of Judge Cannon."

Newsweek reached out to Trump's team via email for comment.

But how the case proceeds moving forward will likely attract as much attention as the case itself.

Cannon, a Trump appointee faced heavy scrutiny after a controversial ruling last year to appoint a special master to review and potentially remove evidence from the case, only for it to be overturned later. Recent reports from The New York Times and other outlets have probed her relative lack of experience in criminal cases, raising questions about her ability to effectively preside over the case involving Trump.

But the timing of the case will also play into the machinations of an active presidential campaign where Trump—currently polling at an average of 52 percent in all national polls evaluated by RealClearPolitics—remains the frontrunner.

Another case Trump is involved in on 34 charges stemming from alleged hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels is currently scheduled to begin on March 25, 2024, right in the middle of the presidential primary season.

Meanwhile, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has suggested Trump could face charges in Georgia as soon as August for his team's alleged role in attempts to overturn the result of President Joe Biden's victory in the state in the 2020 presidential election.

If the original trial date holds, Trump's hearing in Florida would also be taking place just as other Republican candidates for president are expected to participate in the first nationally televised Republican debate on August 24, leaving openings for Trump's opponents to attack his long-term viability as a candidate.

While many candidates have held firm the Department of Justice was overly politized in its prosecution of Trump, others—including his chief rival Ron DeSantis—have sought to depict Trump's as self-inflicted.

"We would not be here if Donald Trump had simply returned the documents the dozens of times the government asked him to return them, the time that the grand jury served the subpoena for them," former New Jersey Governor and Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie said on Sunday's episode of Face the Nation. "He waited, waited and waited, defied the government and then wound up having his house raided."