A federal judge in Florida, appointed by former President Donald Trump, has rejected Trump's request to dismiss the federal criminal case over classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago estate.

The judge expressed skepticism about Trump's defense arguments but did not rule out the possibility of them being raised again later in the case or at trial.

Trump's legal team claimed he has immunity from charges related to possession of national defense information, citing the law's vagueness and presidential privileges.

Prosecutors countered that Trump has no immunity from laws safeguarding national security and protecting military secrets.

The trial's commencement, initially set for May 20, may be postponed pending a U.S. Supreme Court decision on Trump's claims of presidential immunity.

The Supreme Court is also reviewing Trump's immunity claim in a separate case concerning the 2020 presidential election, which could impact the Mar-a-Lago case.