In the ongoing classified documents case involving former President Donald Trump, his lawyers have argued for a further delay in setting a trial date. The defense team filed a court document on Friday, stating that the trial date should be pushed back to allow time for the examination of additional documents that may be produced by prosecutors.

According to Trump's legal team, there are still outstanding requests for additional records from the Special Counsel's Office. They have also requested evidentiary and non-evidentiary hearings, which could potentially result in the production of large amounts of further discovery, possibly including classified material.

The lawyers emphasized that the discovery process is far from complete, prompting the need for more time. They proposed that the court should halt progress and give all parties involved an opportunity to review and address the pretrial motions already filed with the judge.

The filing by Trump's lawyers also argued that under the Speedy Trial Act, time should be tolled while the court considers the pending pretrial motions. This would further contribute to the need for a trial date extension.

Judge Aileen Cannon had requested a report from Trump's legal team by Friday, asking them to include their positions on all excludable time under the speedy trial period, and to indicate any assertions or waivers of speedy trial rights by the defendants, along with associated timeframes.

Critics of Trump and Judge Cannon have expressed concerns that delaying the trial further would ensure that the case remains unresolved before the upcoming presidential general election later this year. Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg, in response to Judge Cannon's recent request for a report, stated that it becomes even clearer that the trial was never intended to take place before the election.

The classified documents case originated from charges filed against Trump, his aide Walt Nauta, and Mar-a-Lago resort maintenance supervisor Carlos de Oliveira. Prosecutors allege that Trump stored classified documents at the resort after his presidency, in violation of the Presidential Records Act. All three defendants have pleaded not guilty.

As the legal battle continues, the debate over a potential trial date extension raises questions about the impact on the resolution of this high-profile case before the upcoming election.