To expand on what MandaJo wrote, DJT is stubborn and does not react well to typical legal advice. If he listened to the kind of conventional lawyers who advise against risking a jury trial, Donald never would have stolen presidential papers out of the White House.
Also, Trump voters can’t be excluded from a jury. And it’s highly likely that a few of them will be on the panel. Because of that, asking for a jury trial is a far more rational move for Trump than would be typical in the federal system.
Thinking you are going to punish Trump with a unanimous jury trial conviction is as delusional as the idea the an impeachment acquittal would hurt him. We need to stop giving him wins. The Justice Department’s only chance for a criminal conviction is for a misdemeanor where there is no right to a jury trial.
P.S. Also, I find stealing valuable documents from the National Archives to be a clear cut, serious, misdeed. I’m a reader of history, and he is taking away my freedom to read well-researched books on his administration.