U.S. district judge rejects Trump's bid to dismiss classified documents case | 4 April 2024 | US District Judge Aileen Cannon on Thursday denied a motion filed by former President Donald Trump seeking to dismiss the criminal charges against him in his classified documents case. Trump, 77, had argued that under the Presidential Records Act of 1978 he had the authority to designate sensitive documents as his personal property after leaving the White House. Cannon ruled "the Presidential Records Act does not provide a pre-trial basis to dismiss" the 40 charges against the former president... Her three-page order, however, left the possibility open for Trump to use the Presidential Records Act to defend himself at trial. Cannon slammed special counsel Jack Smith's demand that she make a ruling on whether Trump can use the legal theory as part of his defense in the West Palm Beach, Fla., federal court, calling it "unprecedented and unjust."