Unprecedented circumstances

Special prosecutor wants pause in 2nd Trump trial

Donald Trump(Bild: AP)

In the criminal proceedings against US President-elect Donald Trump regarding the document affair, US Special Prosecutor Jack Smith has requested a postponement.

The background to this is likely to be that the two proceedings conducted by Smith against the Republican are now practically at an end following his election victory - as the US Department of Justice does not usually investigate sitting presidents.

Smith asked the competent court in Florida for time until December 2 to consider the "unprecedented circumstances". This was reported by the news portal "Politico" and the Fox News channel, among others, with reference to corresponding court documents. It is expected that the special investigator will close his investigation before Trump's inauguration.

Obstructing investigations
Trump was indicted in Florida for allegedly unlawfully storing top secret documents after his term in office and obstructing investigations. In July, Smith requested a retrial after the judge halted the proceedings. Even before Trump's re-election last week, it was unclear what would happen next.

Election fraud and storming the Capitol
US Attorney General Merrick Garland had appointed Smith to investigate two cases against Trump. As in Florida, Smith had also announced in the proceedings in Washington - in which Trump is charged with attempted electoral fraud and his role in the storming of the Capitol - that he would inform the court promptly about the next steps. The judge there has already granted this request. The allegations in Washington are the most serious against Trump in a whole series of proceedings. If convicted, he would theoretically face decades in prison, but this is unlikely to happen now.

During the election campaign, Trump had declared that he would fire Smith "within two seconds" if he won the election. He wants to replace Garland in his new cabinet with the right-wing hardliner Matt Gaetz. The Republican announced on Wednesday that he would make his loyal henchman the new Attorney General.