The U.S. Army announced Tuesday that accused deserter Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl’s court-martial is delayed until Feb. 6, 2017.
This seven-month delay comes as the respective legal counsels filed their motions Tuesday morning at Fort Bragg, N.C. His court-martial had been scheduled for Aug. 8.
Army Judge Col. Jeffery Nance presided over the 35-minute hearing, discussing dates and specific legal motions with attorneys. Charges against Bergdahl include desertion and misbehavior before the enemy.
Stars and Stripes reported the delay gives attorneys time to pore through classified documents that may contain evidence.
U.S. special operations forces rescued Bergdahl in 2014 after the controversial release of five high-value Taliban commanders from Guantanamo Bay. Bergdahl is accused of deserting his post to join the Taliban in 2009.
Delaying until February opens the possibility that the court-martial would occur under Donald Trump as president. In October, Trump called Bergdahl “a no-good traitor, who should have been executed.”
In March, Bergdahl’s defense team even said it wanted to interview Trump after his fiery comments about their client on the campaign trail.
