On Thursday, former U.S. President Donald Trump urged a federal judge to dismiss criminal charges accusing him of unlawfully retaining sensitive U.S. national security documents upon leaving office.
Trump, who has pleaded not guilty to a 40-count indictment in a Florida federal court, is accused of illegally keeping classified documents at his Florida resort after departing the presidency in 2021 and impeding government efforts to recover them.
Prosecutors, collaborating with U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith, allege that Trump retained documents at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida resort, containing information about the U.S. nuclear program and potential domestic vulnerabilities.
The indictment claims that Trump attempted to hide boxes containing classified papers after receiving a grand jury subpoena demanding their return.
Alongside Trump, his personal aide Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos de Oliveira are also facing charges and moved on Thursday to have the charges dismissed. Both Nauta and de Oliveira have entered not guilty pleas.
While a trial is set to commence in May, Trump is seeking a delay. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon has scheduled a hearing on March 1 to address the timing of the trial.
