Trump Will Face Aileen Cannon—A Florida Judge He Appointed

Topline

Former President Donald Trump’s indictment over his alleged mishandling of classified White House documents will reportedly be overseen by a controversial federal judge in Florida he appointed to the federal court when he was president, multiple outlets reported Friday, setting the stage for a court hearing in Miami next week.

Former President Donald Trump’s hearing in a Florida District Court will be overseen by a judge he … [+] appointed.

Key Facts

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon will oversee Trump’s first appearance in a Miami Federal District Court on Tuesday, where he is expected to enter a plea, according to a summons Trump and his legal team received Thursday, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News and the New York Times.

Cannon, however, could prove to be a controversial judge in the case, after she approved Trump’s request in September for a special master to independently review more than 11,000 government documents seized by the FBI in its raid of Mar-A-Lago.

That move was heavily scrutinized by legal experts who questioned whether Cannon was treating Trump with favorable and unprecedented consideration, while the appointment of an independent investigator was struck down by an appeals court in December.

Key Background

Trump said he was indicted Thursday night on his social media platform Truth Social, and has been ordered to appear in U.S. District Court in Miami next Tuesday. Trump’s historic indictment would make him the first former president to face federal charges, stemming from a long-running Justice Department probe into his handling of classified White House documents after he left the Oval Office, including an FBI raid at his Mar-A-Lago Florida estate last August. Although federal prosecutors have not released the indictment, Trump’s attorney Jim Trusty told CNN charges likely include obstruction and willfully retaining national defense information, while the New York Times reported the charges seem to include seven counts, including willful retention of national defense secrets and conspiracy to obstruct justice. The indictment was roundly blasted by Congressional Republicans, with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) calling it “unconscionable” and GOP firebrand Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) labeling it a “hoax.”

Tangent

The indictment also comes just over two months after the 2024 GOP presidential candidate was indicted by a grand jury in Manhattan Criminal Court on 34 felony counts for falsifying business records over alleged hush money payments to three people—including adult film star Stormy Daniels—in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election. Trump pleaded not guilty to those charges. He is also subject to a DOJ probe into his role in the January 6 Capitol insurrection, and a Georgia district attorney’s office is investigating whether he played a role in efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in the state.

Trump Will Face Aileen Cannon—A Florida Judge He Appointed—Following Indictment, Reports Say

Topline

Key Facts

Key Background

Tangent

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