NEW YORK, US – A New York judge has set January 10 as the sentencing date for President-elect Donald Trump in his hush-money case.
The sentencing comes just 12 days before Trump is set to take the oath of office as the 47th president of the United States.
New York Justice Juan Merchan signaled that Trump, convicted in May on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, is unlikely to face jail time.
Instead, the judge is expected to issue an “unconditional discharge,” meaning no jail, probation, or fine.
Trump may attend the hearing in person or virtually, as stipulated in Merchan’s order.
The case centers on a $130,000 payment made to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence her claims of an alleged sexual encounter with Trump.
Prosecutors argued the payment was part of an effort to conceal reimbursements to Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal attorney, and to suppress damaging information ahead of the election.
Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty, dismissing the charges as politically motivated.
In a Truth Social post on Saturday, Trump lashed out at the sentencing order, calling it a “rigged charade” and a “blatant attack on our Constitution.”
His spokesperson, Steven Cheung, echoed these sentiments, labeling the case part of a “witch hunt” and insisting that the proceedings interfere with the president-elect’s ability to govern effectively.
Justice Merchan rejected Trump’s latest bid to dismiss the case, which argued the conviction would hinder his ability to lead.
Merchan wrote that measures were available to mitigate potential distractions during Trump’s presidency without overturning the jury’s verdict.
Options considered included delaying sentencing until the end of Trump’s term in 2029 or issuing a lenient sentence upfront.
Trump’s team had previously invoked a Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity, which protects sitting presidents from prosecution for official actions.
However, Merchan ruled that immunity did not apply to Trump’s actions in the hush-money case.
Trump, 78, is poised to become the first convicted felon to serve as president.
While falsifying business records carries a potential sentence of up to four years, legal experts have long speculated that incarceration was improbable given Trump’s age, lack of prior criminal record, and the non-violent nature of the offenses.
This case is one of several legal battles Trump faces.
He is also charged in three other state and federal cases, including allegations of mishandling classified documents and efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
The sentencing comes just 12 days before Trump is set to take the oath of office as the 47th president of the United States.
New York Justice Juan Merchan signaled that Trump, convicted in May on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, is unlikely to face jail time.
Instead, the judge is expected to issue an “unconditional discharge,” meaning no jail, probation, or fine.
Trump may attend the hearing in person or virtually, as stipulated in Merchan’s order.
The case centers on a $130,000 payment made to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence her claims of an alleged sexual encounter with Trump.
Prosecutors argued the payment was part of an effort to conceal reimbursements to Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal attorney, and to suppress damaging information ahead of the election.
Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty, dismissing the charges as politically motivated.
In a Truth Social post on Saturday, Trump lashed out at the sentencing order, calling it a “rigged charade” and a “blatant attack on our Constitution.”
His spokesperson, Steven Cheung, echoed these sentiments, labeling the case part of a “witch hunt” and insisting that the proceedings interfere with the president-elect’s ability to govern effectively.
Justice Merchan rejected Trump’s latest bid to dismiss the case, which argued the conviction would hinder his ability to lead.
Merchan wrote that measures were available to mitigate potential distractions during Trump’s presidency without overturning the jury’s verdict.
Options considered included delaying sentencing until the end of Trump’s term in 2029 or issuing a lenient sentence upfront.
Trump’s team had previously invoked a Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity, which protects sitting presidents from prosecution for official actions.
However, Merchan ruled that immunity did not apply to Trump’s actions in the hush-money case.
Trump, 78, is poised to become the first convicted felon to serve as president.
While falsifying business records carries a potential sentence of up to four years, legal experts have long speculated that incarceration was improbable given Trump’s age, lack of prior criminal record, and the non-violent nature of the offenses.
This case is one of several legal battles Trump faces.
He is also charged in three other state and federal cases, including allegations of mishandling classified documents and efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
