A New York judge has scheduled the sentencing for President-elect Donald Trump in his hush money case just 10 days before his January 20 inauguration.
Judge Juan Merchan said Trump can attend the sentencing either in person or virtually on January 10. He also indicated that he was unlikely to send Trump to jail.
Trump, the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a crime, was found guilty in May of 34 counts related to falsifying business records. The charges stemmed from efforts to cover up a hush money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in the final days of the 2016 presidential campaign. Daniels claimed she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006, which he has denied.
In a recent decision, Judge Merchan upheld Trump's conviction, rejecting motions from Trump's legal team to have the case dismissed. Trump’s attorneys had argued that he was protected from prosecution due to a Supreme Court ruling granting former presidents broad immunity for actions taken while in office. However, Merchan disagreed, noting that this case involved actions before Trump became president.
While Trump faces up to four years in prison, experts have largely predicted that Merchan would not impose a jail sentence. The judge indicated that he was leaning toward an "unconditional discharge" for Trump, meaning the former president would not face any probation or conditions after sentencing.
Trump, who is appealing the conviction, responded angrily to the decision. On his social media platform, Truth Social, he called the legal proceedings a “rigged charade” and accused the judge of being a “radical partisan.” He argued that the case was politically motivated and violated the Constitution, claiming it could destroy the future of the presidency.
Despite Trump's objections, Judge Merchan emphasized that the case needed to be resolved before Trump’s inauguration. He acknowledged that Trump would likely be immune from prosecution once he takes the Oath of Office on January 20, 2025. Therefore, Merchan set the sentencing date for January 10, to ensure the matter is concluded before Trump begins his second term.
Trump is expected to continue appealing the conviction, which could delay the final resolution of the case.