Judge seeks clarity about Trump’s move on records seized from Mar-a-Lago

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Cannon did not explicitly criticize the 27-page motion Trumps lawyers filed on Monday, but her requests for clarification seemed to dovetail with criticism from some legal observers who called the submission convoluted, confusing and loaded with heaping servings of political rhetoric unrelated to the legal questions at issue. She wants answers to her queries by Friday, but did not set a hearing or further proceedings on the former president’s request.

Among the issues the judge asked Trumps attorneys to clarify were such basic points as the precise relief sought, why the court has jurisdiction over the dispute, what legal standards apply and whether the former president is seeking an immediate injunction against the government during the legal dispute plays out.

The series of questions were Cannons first substantive step since Trump filed the action, underscoring the challenge Trump has faced in articulating a legal strategy to combat the criminal inquiry into his handling of presidential records housed at his Florida home since leaving office. Although Trumps lawyers were notified in April that the FBI was seeking to review materials that had been kept at Mar-a-Lago and had significant concerns about classified information being held there, Trump opted against taking any legal steps until Monday, two weeks after the FBI executed a search warrant at his estate.

Trump did not explicitly seek any sort of emergency intervention by the court to halt the Justice Departments ongoing review of the material currently being conducted by a filter team intended to screen out potentially privileged information a notable absence in a filing he publicly described as an urgent step . The former presidents motion did ask to enjoin further review of seized materials by The Government until a Special Master is appointed, but it was not clear on whether Trump was seeking that step right away or only after a judge concluded a special master should be named.

Cannon also said she wanted to understand Trumps view on the effect of ongoing proceedings before Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, who is preparing to consider releasing a redacted version of the affidavit justifying the FBI search but whom Trump has publicly criticized.

An attorney for Trump and spokespeople for the former president did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Cannon’s order.

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