Review of Possibly Privileged Trump Papers Already Over. What’s Next?

As the Trump investigation saga continues, many in Florida wonder how the ex-president’s legal and political troubles will impact Gov. Ron DeSantis moving forward.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Justice Department has completed its review of potentially privileged documents seized from former President Donald Trump’s Florida estate this month and has identified “a limited set of materials that potentially contain attorney-client privileged information,” according to a court filing Monday.

The filing from the department follows a judge’s weekend order indicating that she was inclined to grant the Trump legal team’s request for a special master who would oversee the review of documents taken during the Aug. 8 search of the Mar-a-Lago estate and ensure that any that might be protected by claims of legal privilege be set aside.

A Hearing Set for Thursday

In revealing that the department had completed its review of potentially privileged communications, law enforcement officials appeared to be suggesting that the appointment of a third-party special master might now be moot. The department had been relying on a specialized team to filter out potentially privileged communications and said Monday that it had completed its review of those materials before the judge’s order.

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US District Judge Aileen Cannon said on Saturday that it was her “preliminary intent” to appoint a special master — which would be an early procedural win for the Trump legal team — but gave the department an opportunity to respond and scheduled a Thursday hearing to discuss the matter further.

The judge also directed the Justice Department to submit under seal a more detailed description of the materials that were seized from Trump’s estate in Palm Beach, something the department on Monday said it would do.

What’s in It for DeSantis?

As the Trump investigation saga continues with more wild turns and hair-raising drops than a Six Flags Atlantis rollercoaster, many wonder how Trump’s legal and political troubles will impact Gov. Ron DeSantis’ possible 2024 presidential run. Will DeSantis steer clear of Trump? Will they face off in a bid for the Republican presidential nomination?

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But while that is still up for speculation, some political pundits believe that Florida’s Republican governor is now aping his former mentor’s style. According to Rolling Stone, which cites three people who’ve spoken to the former president in recent months, Trump believes DeSantis is “stealing” some of his mannerisms, such as hand gestures and body language. Is he fashioning himself as a “mini-Trump,” as some have suggested, to gain from Trump’s followers?

According to The New York Times in a story published in January, Trump is angry that DeSantis won’t rule out running against him for president in 2024. Let the games begin!
Additional reporting by Giselle Balido