Trump’s Hush Money Sentencing Postponed Indefinitely, Judge Rules

Trump’s Hush Money Sentencing Postponed Indefinitely, Judge Rules

New York (CNN) —

The sentencing in Donald Trump’s criminal hush money case, originally scheduled for next week, has been postponed indefinitely, Judge Juan Merchan announced. Additionally, the judge deferred ruling on the issue of presidential immunity until after reviewing submissions from both parties.

Judge Merchan granted Trump’s legal team permission to file a motion to dismiss the case, setting a December 2 deadline for their filings. Prosecutors were given one week to respond. While Trump’s team had requested a December 20 deadline, the judge denied the extension.

No new sentencing date has been established, and Merchan provided no further explanation for the delay. Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Trump, hailed the decision as a “decisive win” for the president-elect.

The development marks a dramatic shift in Trump’s legal and political fortunes. A year ago, he faced four separate indictments. Now, following his recent election victory, his two federal cases are winding down, the Georgia state case remains dormant, and the New York case appears indefinitely stalled.

In a recent letter to Judge Merchan, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office acknowledged that Trump is unlikely to be sentenced until after completing his presidential term. While District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, has maintained that Trump’s felony conviction should stand, a source close to the office indicated they are open to a four-year delay in pursuing the case.

Trump’s lawyers have argued that his conviction should be vacated, citing both the presidential immunity issue and his election as president.

Trump was convicted in May on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to payments to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen. The payments reimbursed a $130,000 hush money sum made to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels to prevent her from speaking about an alleged affair prior to the 2016 election—a claim Trump denies.

The case has faced multiple delays, with the sentencing date previously postponed from July. Following a Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity, Trump’s legal team filed motions to vacate the conviction, sought to move the case to federal court, and employed other strategies that further delayed proceedings. Judge Merchan ultimately deferred both the sentencing and immunity rulings until after the November election.

This article has been updated to include additional context and reactions.