Washington:
Former President Donald Trump held a closed-door meeting in a Florida federal court on Monday over his classified documents case, as lawyers discussed who would have access to top-secret evidence.
Trump, 77, pleaded not guilty in June to charges of illegally withholding national defense information, conspiring to obstruct justice and making false statements.
Judge Aileen Cannon, who is presiding over the case, summoned attorneys from both sides for Monday’s proceedings.
The former president and his entourage arrived at the courthouse in Fort Pierce, about 125 miles (200 kilometers) north of Miami, around 9:00 a.m. (1400 GMT), where they were greeted by a crowd of poster-carrying supporters.
Trump’s lawyers want to obtain classified evidence currently in the hands of prosecutors, but government lawyers have opposed the move on the grounds that the information is too sensitive.
Cannon wrote in a court filing convening the hearing that Trump’s lawyers should be prepared to “discuss in detail their defense theory of the case and how any confidential information may be relevant or helpful to the defense.”
She plans to hear from the defense first and then from federal prosecutors.
Trump’s trial is scheduled to begin on May 20. Also charged were two employees, property manager Carlos de Oliveira and Trump’s personal assistant Voltin Nota.
Trump has attended several hearings in recent weeks in court cases against him.
The former leader has been dealing with his own legal issues, but that doesn’t appear to have dented his popularity as the Republican presidential candidate in the 2024 election.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)