Judge rejects Trump's claims that the search warrant for Mar-a-Lago was illegitimate.
Even though Judge Cannon didn't preside on the third day of discussions regarding evidence in Fort Pierce, Florida, it appeared she leaned towards the prosecution's standpoint on whether Trump's legal team can block evidence found by the FBI in August 2022.
Trump's lawyer, Emil Bove, stated that the warrant was too comprehensive and provided unnecessary access to the entire Mar-a-Lago property.
On the contrary, Judge Cannon deemed the language in the warrant, authorized by a judge, adequate.
"It's hard for me to see what else was required" to detail the areas where agents could search and seize documents in Mar-a-Lago, Judge Cannon mentioned.
Trump and his associates, Walter Nauta, Trump's assistant, and Carlos de Oliveira, the resort's manager, are facing charges of mismanaging sensitive or confidential information and obstruction. All three have entered a not guilty plea.
Bove, much like in prior hearings concerning classified documents, wanted the judge to schedule more sessions that could scrutinize the investigators' methods. However, Cannon has posed tough questions.
"We're not dealing with a traditional suburban home," Bove explained, suggesting that the broad property's description given by the investigators wasn't specific enough when they requested permission in 2022 to search for classified documents.
"They claimed they'd look for classified documents in a gym and a kitchen," he continued.
Judge Cannon countered Bove's comments by suggesting that there might not be any legal issues with agents searching a large part of the property and discovering documents in some rooms but not others.
"You'd agree that paperwork could be in any spot," the judge noted.
Investigators disclosed that they found classified documents in various places, including the resort's ballroom, bathroom, and bedroom.
More heated exchange
After the hearing's conclusion, Judge Cannon and Prosecutor David Harbach once more argued, following their tense disputes on Monday, highlighting the special counsel's growing dissatisfaction with the hearings and Trump's legal team's tactics.
Harbach rose after Bove concluded his arguments, attempting to argue, with limited proof in court, that prosecutors should disclose any internal FBI conflicts concerning the case or whether any agents involved had personal dislikes towards Trump.
Harbach called this a blatant effort to manipulate the hearing.
But Judge Cannon, in her attempt to end the nearly two-hour hearing, quickly interjected and refuted his claims, informing him that the hearing hadn't been manipulated.
Harbach requested permission from the judge to discuss more defense strategies in open court.
"This pertains to the defense's persistent attempts to present allegations irrelevant to what's under investigation," he argued.
Judge Cannon then concluded the hearing.
This story and headline have been updated with additional developments.
