The sentencing for Donald Trump in the criminal hush money trial has been postponed, with the original date set for next week now delayed. Judge Juan Merchan decided to delay ruling on Trump’s claim of presidential immunity, choosing to review all filings from both parties before issuing a decision.
The court allowed Trump’s legal team to file a motion seeking dismissal of the case, with their submissions due by December 2, while prosecutors are required to respond within a week.
Although Trump’s attorneys requested an extension until December 20, the judge denied it. A new sentencing date has not been determined, and Judge Merchan refrained from providing further comments on the postponement. Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Trump, described the development as a huge victory for the president-elect.
Judge Merchan weighs immunity claims in the hush money trial, delaying sentencing decision
The legal landscape for Trump has shifted dramatically over the past year. Following his election win earlier this month, two federal cases against him appear to be winding down, the Georgia state case remains inactive, and the New York case may be indefinitely delayed without a sentencing resolution.
A recent letter from the district attorney’s office to Merchan acknowledged that Trump is unlikely to face sentencing before completing his upcoming presidential term. While District Attorney Alvin Bragg maintains that Trump’s felony conviction should stand, sources close to the office have indicated a willingness to pause the case for four years.
Trump’s legal team continues to push for the conviction to be overturned, citing both the presidential immunity argument and his return to the White House. Trump’s conviction, delivered in May, involved 34 counts of falsifying business records related to reimbursements to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, for a $130,000 hush money payment to adult-film star Stormy Daniels.
The payment aimed to silence her claims of an affair with Trump before the 2016 election, an allegation Trump denies. Originally slated for July, Trump’s sentencing has already been delayed twice.
The Supreme Court’s ruling on immunity prompted Trump’s attorneys to file motions to vacate the conviction, further stalling the case. Efforts to move the case to federal court added to the delays, leading Judge Merchan to postpone both sentencing and the immunity ruling until after the November election.
