Judge Orders Donald Trump To Be Sentenced Before His Inauguration In Hush Money Case

Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, is scheduled to be sentenced on January 10 in a criminal case, as ruled by a judge, Justice Juan Merchan on Friday.

This comes after his May 2024 conviction on charges related to hush money payments made to a porn star, Stormy Daniels.

Justice Juan Merchan rejected Donald Trump’s motion to dismiss the case following his presidential election victory.

Merchan stated that the sentencing would occur just 10 days before Trump’s inauguration, and he could appear either in person or virtually.

The judge emphasized that an “unconditional discharge,” meaning no prison time, fines, or probation, would likely be the most appropriate resolution.

“Defendant’s status as President-elect does not require the drastic and ‘rare’ application of (the court’s) authority to grant the (dismissal) motion,” Merchan wrote in the decision, opens new tab.

Trump’s legal team had argued that the case would interfere with his presidency, but Merchan dismissed this claim, stating it would undermine the rule of law.

Trump’s sentencing was initially set for November 26 but was postponed indefinitely after his election win.

Prosecutors from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office proposed alternative measures, such as delaying sentencing until Trump completes his presidency in 2029 or issuing a sentence that does not include imprisonment.

The case involves a $130,000 payment made by Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to adult film star Stormy Daniels to keep her silent about an alleged affair before the 2016 election.

Trump has denied the affair. In May, a Manhattan jury convicted Trump of 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal the payment, marking the first time a U.S. president has been convicted of a crime.

Trump pleaded not guilty and has claimed the case is a politically motivated attack by Bragg, a Democrat, to damage his 2024 campaign.

In December, Trump lost a separate bid to overturn his conviction, despite a Supreme Court ruling that presidents cannot be prosecuted for official actions.

Judge Merchan ruled that the falsified records were personal acts, unrelated to executive authority.

The charges carry a potential sentence of up to four years in prison, though legal experts have noted that Trump’s advanced age and lack of prior convictions make incarceration unlikely.

Donald Trump also faced three other criminal cases in 2023, including charges related to classified documents and efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

He pleaded not guilty to all and saw two federal cases dismissed after his election win. However, a state case in Georgia over his 2020 election actions remains pending.

KanyiDaily recalls that in November 2024, Donald Trump claimed victory and promised to “heal” the United States after defeating the vice president Kamala Harris for the White House.