Lawyers for former President Donald Trump are requesting a delay in his federal trial scheduled for May 2024, in which he faces charges related to the mishandling of sensitive government records after leaving office. The defense team argues that the current schedule is unworkable due to delays in the discovery process, a lack of necessary secure facilities, and ongoing litigation under the Classified Information Procedures Act. They claim that the special counsel's office, led by Jack Smith, has not provided basic discovery materials, including nine documents central to the charges against Trump. The defense team also raises concerns about the time it will take for the government to establish a secure facility to handle evidence in the case. They request that the special counsel's team disclose whether they conducted prudential searches of intelligence community files, which could contain potentially exculpatory information.

In response, the special counsel's office argues against delaying the trial, stating that Trump's lawyers have made distorted and exaggerated claims about their access to classified information. They assert that the defense's claims regarding the unclassified information collected during the investigation are inaccurate and that the government has provided prompt, comprehensive, and organized discovery. The prosecution also disputes the defense's assertion that they lack access to approved computers to prepare classified discovery requests, stating that the defense team has had access to a classified laptop. The special counsel's office maintains that the defense team has complete access to all unclassified and classified discovery, with the exception of a small collection of highly sensitive documents that require enhanced security protocols.

The prosecution further argues that the majority of the allegations in the case rely on unclassified evidence, despite Trump's entitlement to classified discovery. They emphasize that the focus of the trial will be on how the classified materials were taken from the White House and retained at Mar-a-Lago, as well as Trump's knowledge and intent in retaining them. The government asserts that it will prove these issues primarily with unclassified evidence.

Regarding the defense's concerns about secure facilities and access to classified materials, the special counsel's office states that a facility in Washington, D.C., has been made available for Trump and his lawyers to review all evidence, including the highly sensitive documents. They also assure the defense team that secure facilities in South Florida will be available by the end of the week for the review and discussion of classified information. The prosecution notes that several members of Trump's defense team have received final security clearances to review all 32 documents that led to the charges, with one member still undergoing clearance.

In conclusion, the defense team argues for a delay in the trial, citing ongoing discovery failures and the lack of necessary facilities and access to classified materials. The special counsel's office opposes the delay, asserting that the defense's claims are distorted and exaggerated, and that they have provided prompt and comprehensive discovery. The prosecution emphasizes that the trial will primarily rely on unclassified evidence and that secure facilities and access to classified materials will be available. The decision on the trial delay request will be made by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who is overseeing the case.