Mandel Ngan\/AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n Trump has pleaded not guilty to 37 criminal charges related to his handling of classified material, and prosecutors say he repeatedly refused to turn over hundreds of documents containing classified information ranging from US nuclear secrets to the capabilities of defense of the country<\/p>\n In statements Friday, Smith’s team says it believes pretrial proceedings, including making sure defense attorneys get the security clearances needed to review discovery materials, will realistically take longer time than the August trial date proposed by Judge Cannon earlier this week.<\/p>\n Former President Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC 2023, March 4, 2023, at National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Alex Brandon\/AP, FILE<\/span><\/p>\n They have also asked to file under seal the list of witnesses they believe Trump and his co-defendant, presidential valet Walt Nauta, should be barred from speaking about the case as it moves toward trial.<\/p>\n Notably, the special counsel’s filings describe the case in plain terms, saying it “has only two defendants, involves direct theories of liability, and presents no new issues of fact or law.”<\/p>\n Trump has denied all wrongdoing in the case and dismissed the special counsel’s investigation as a politically motivated witch hunt.<\/p>\n![\"PHOTO:](\"https:\/\/s.abcnews.com\/images\/International\/donald-trump-ap-jef-230623_1687568139000_hpEmbed_3x2_992.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
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