4-1-2025 (NEW YORK) A Manhattan judge has scheduled the sentencing in Donald Trump’s hush money case for 10 January 2025, merely ten days before the President-elect is due to take office, whilst indicating that prison time is unlikely to be imposed.
In a comprehensive ruling issued today, Judge Juan Merchan upheld the former president’s conviction whilst rebuffing various attempts by Trump’s legal team to have the case dismissed. The judge revealed his inclination towards an unconditional discharge rather than imprisonment, a development that would nonetheless see Trump become the first American president to enter office as a convicted felon.
The ruling, detailed across 18 pages, addresses the unprecedented situation of a president-elect facing sentencing for criminal charges. Judge Merchan noted that even prosecutors had acknowledged the impracticality of recommending incarceration, given the circumstances.
Trump, 78, who secured victory in November’s presidential election, was found guilty in May on 34 counts of falsifying business records. These charges stemmed from payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election, intended to suppress allegations of a 2006 intimate encounter.
Addressing the timing of the sentencing, Judge Merchan acknowledged the implications of presidential immunity, which would take effect upon Trump’s inauguration. “Recognising that Presidential immunity will likely attach once the Defendant takes his Oath of Office, this Court must proceed with sentencing prior to 20 January 2025,” the judge wrote.
The Trump camp swiftly condemned the decision. Speaking on behalf of the former president, spokesman Steven Cheung characterised the ruling as “a direct violation of the Supreme Court’s Immunity decision” and called for immediate dismissal of what he termed a “lawless case.”
The matter has broader implications for other pending legal challenges against Trump. Two federal cases brought by special counsel Jack Smith have already been suspended, following established Department of Justice protocol regarding sitting presidents. Similarly, racketeering charges in Georgia related to alleged election interference are expected to be paused during Trump’s presidency.
