Trump attorneys preview potential defense in classified documents case

Former President Donald Trump's attorneys previewed parts of their defense against charges he faces in connection to the alleged illegal retention of classified documents.

The defense attorneys plan on disputing federal prosecutors' arguments that the records were not securely stored at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, according to a court filing Tuesday, The Associated Press reported.

The brief also asks the judge to force special counsel Jack Smith's office to hand over information related to the case. 

Trump's attorneys also said they are seeking communications between the Justice Department and President Joe Biden's associates, which could support their claims that the case is "politically motivated" and was launched to hurt Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.

The defense also heavily criticized Smith and his team in the brief. 

"The Special Counsel’s Office has disregarded basic discovery obligations and DOJ policies in an effort to support the Biden Administration’s egregious efforts to weaponize the criminal justice system in pursuit of an objective that President Biden cannot achieve on the campaign trail: slowing down President Trump’s leading campaign in the 2024 presidential election," Trump's attorneys wrote. 

Trump's team also urged the judge to order prosecutors to disclose all information regarding what the government previously called "temporary secure locations" at Trump's properties, as the Secret Service made efforts to secure the homes.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to all 40 charges in the case. This is separate from the federal charges Smith brought against Trump related to the 2020 election. It is also separate from the New York and Georgia state criminal cases. 

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