The delay comes as defense counsel and prosecutors navigate the complexities of additional charges and jurisdictional disputes between state and federal authorities. Routh’s public defender asked for the Feb. 10 trial to be delayed until December, but U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon landed on Sept. 8 for the forthcoming jury trial, according to an order Tuesday evening.

Cannon ruled against Routh’s claims that prosecutors “delayed discovery or failed to comply” with its obligations since Routh was arraigned in September and charged with attempting to assassinate the president-elect, who had just survived a separate assassination attempt on July 13.

The judge also found Routh’s attorneys “had not meaningfully responded” to prosecutors’ timetable for providing reciprocal discovery materials. However, she found that Routh’s counsel had still not provided any notice of insanity defense disclosure, though noting his counsel indicated “mental health evaluations are ongoing.”

The deadline for Routh to provide notice “of an insanity defense” or “note of expert evidence of a mental condition” is Feb. 3.

Cannon is a Trump appointee who oversaw his classified documents criminal case before she was randomly assigned to Routh’s trial. She denied Routh’s motion in October to recuse from the case after he cited her previous handling of the president-elect’s case.

On Sept. 15, Routh allegedly attempted to ambush Trump at his golf club in south Florida, hiding in the shrubs on the property with a semiautomatic rifle. Secret Service agents thwarted the attack, and Routh fled before being apprehended. While no shots were fired, the case escalated due to a new felony attempted murder charge related to his flight from law enforcement.

The additional state charge stems from an incident during Routh’s escape when police shut down traffic to apprehend him. The resulting traffic disruption led to a severe accident that nearly killed a young girl.

“As a result of that, we felt compelled to seek justice on her behalf and her family that will never be the same as they cope with her injuries,” said Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody last week. Routh has pleaded not guilty to five felony charges stemming from the alleged assassination attempt, including several firearms charges.

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) recently expressed frustration over federal “roadblocks” and predicted they will dissipate once Trump takes office in January.

“The tide will turn on January 20th, and we fully expect that the federal roadblocks will be removed,” DeSantis posted on social media.

Routh’s trial delay allows his counsel to address the new charges and prepare for what promises to be a high-profile case. It likewise gives time for Trump’s nominee for attorney general, Pam Bondi, to prepare for how the incoming Justice Department will handle the case in contrast to the Biden administration’s DOJ.

Moody specifically mentioned Bondi’s nomination when speaking about “a new day” coming for the DOJ under Trump in the new year.

“The people who have been nominated, Pam Bondi and Kash Patel, love this country and what it is meant to be,” Moody said last week.