Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/Getty/Reuters
When Donald Trump’s beloved federal judge issued yet another head-turning order this week to throw the upcoming Mar-a-Lago classified documents trial into limbo, she actually did him an even bigger favor—she created chaos that can spill over into his other legal battles ahead of the 2024 election.
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon has pushed back what might have been a one- or two-day meeting with prosecutors to review classified documents until February. On Thursday, she also refused to even schedule a court hearing to hear what sensitive national security documents Trump’s lawyers want to use at trial—until sometime after March 1. It’s a one-two punch that will potentially delay the trial by up to four months.
But by keeping her scheduled May 2024 trial date in Florida, she actually made it worse for judges overseeing Trump cases in Atlanta, New York City, and Washington—a feat that’s akin to booking a restaurant reservation one doesn’t intend to keep.