Trump lawyers and justice department to file list of special master candidates

On Thursday the department asked Cannon to suspend two main parts of her order: it said it wants to be able to continue reviewing the seized classified materials for its continuing investigation, and it wants to protect them from disclosure to a special master.

It also warned that some classified materials may still be missing, even after an 8 August search of Mar-a-Lago, by the FBI.

The investigation turns on whether Trump improperly removed classified records from the White House and stored them at his home in Palm Beach, and whether he unlawfully tried to obstruct the probe by concealing or removing some of the records when the FBI tried to collect them in June with a grand jury subpoena.

Legal experts have said that finding a special master that both sides can agree on is no easy task.

The person would potentially need to have a top-level security clearance, be an expert on executive privilege and be willing to take on a very public role that would thrust him or her into the political spotlight.