Trump praises judge overseeing classified documents case: ‘She loves our country’

Judge Aileen Cannon also presided over the court proceedings surrounding the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago

Former President Donald Trump praised a judge he appointed as he awaits to hear about his request to delay the trial in the classified documents case until after the 2024 election.

“I know it’s a very highly respected judge. A very smart judge, and a very strong judge,” Mr Trump said on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures, referring to federal Judge Aileen Cannon.

Judge Cannon also presided over the court proceedings surrounding the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago. Host Maria Bartiromo pointed out that the federal judge was appointed by Mr Trump. He replied, “I did, and I’m very proud to have appointed her.”

“But she’s very smart and very strong, and loves our country,” the former president continued. “We need judges that love our country so they do the right thing.”

Attorneys for Mr Trump — and his co-defendent Walt Nauta — wrote in a filing on Monday: “Proceeding to trial during the pendency of a Presidential election cycle wherein opposing candidates are effectively (if not literally) directly adverse to one another in this action will create extraordinary challenges in the jury selection process and limit the Defendants’ ability to secure a fair and impartial adjudication.”

Last month Mr Trump pleaded not guilty to the 37 count federal indictment in the classified documents case, which is led by Special Counsel Jack Smith.

Judge Cannon was criticised last year when she issued what many legal experts saw as an unusually broad decision to appoint a “special master” to review the documents seized by the FBI from Mr Trump’s home.

She temporarily barred federal agents and prosecutors from reviewing a batch of classified documents seized during the search. However, her order was ultimately thrown out in a scathing opinion by a federal appeals court, which found she had overstepped.

While Mr Trump’s supporters had cheered her ruling as a check on what they viewed as a politically motivated probe, others accused her of trying to help the former president.

With reporting from the Associated Press