US President-elect Donald Trump is set to be sentenced on January 10 in connection with a criminal case involving hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels, a judge ruled on Friday, January 3.
Trump was convicted in May 2024 on charges related to a $130,000 payment made by his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to Daniels in exchange for her silence about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump. The payment was made prior to the 2016 election, and while Trump denies the affair, a Manhattan jury convicted him of 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal the payment.
Justice Juan Merchan, who presided over the case, rejected Trump’s request to dismiss the charges, despite his election as president-elect. Merchan explained that Trump’s status as the incoming president does not justify such a drastic step, as doing so would “undermine the Rule of Law in immeasurable ways.”
Merchan also stated that Trump could attend his sentencing either in person or virtually, and that the most likely sentence would involve “unconditional discharge,” meaning no jail time, fine, or probation.
Trump’s legal team had argued that continuing with the case during his presidency would hinder his ability to govern effectively. However, Merchan dismissed this concern, emphasizing that the case’s outcome should not be altered simply due to Trump’s election victory. The judge also highlighted that the prosecution’s actions involved personal conduct and did not interfere with presidential duties.
Trump had originally been scheduled for sentencing on November 26, but this was delayed indefinitely following his election win. Prosecutors, led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, had proposed several ways to address Trump’s concerns, such as postponing sentencing until after Trump’s presidency, or ensuring that no prison time would be involved.
Despite his conviction, Trump continues to assert that the case is a politically motivated attack by Bragg and that it is an effort to harm his 2024 presidential campaign.
The case marks the first time in US history that a former or sitting president has been convicted or charged with a criminal offense. Trump has also been charged in three other cases in 2023—one related to classified documents and two others involving his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. He has pleaded not guilty in all of these cases, which remain ongoing.
