Judge Adjourns Trump Hearing
The legal saga surrounding President-elect Donald Trump took another twist this week as reports of an “adjourned” sentencing were quickly refuted by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office.
The confusion stemmed from an automated court schedule alert, misinterpreted by Bloomberg, that cited a previous court email stating that all deadlines had been stayed. District Attorney Alvin Bragg confirmed that Trump’s sentencing for 34 counts of falsifying business records remains unresolved, as Judge Juan Merchan weighs how to proceed.
Trump was convicted in May on charges linked to hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign. Each count could have carried a sentence of up to four years, yet the road ahead has been complicated by his electoral victory.
Judge Merchan’s options include delaying sentencing until Trump leaves office, dismissing the conviction outright, or issuing an unconditional discharge—upholding the conviction but imposing no prison time, fines, or probation.
Earlier this month, prosecutors successfully sought to pause all case-related deadlines, citing the unprecedented nature of prosecuting a sitting president-elect.
“The People agree that these are unprecedented circumstances,” said prosecutor Matthew Colangelo, who argued the stay would allow time to assess the implications of Trump’s new role as commander-in-chief. Trump’s legal team, pushing for the charges to be vacated entirely, supported the request.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s July decision granting presidents presumptive immunity from prosecution for actions within their constitutional powers as president further clouds the case. While immunity extends to “core constitutional powers,” it remains untested whether state convictions fall under the same protections.
The Manhattan DA’s office has maintained that their case targets Trump’s personal conduct, not his actions as president. Yet Trump’s team is likely to argue immunity, adding another layer of complexity to the proceedings.
Trump has dismissed the case as a politically motivated “witch hunt,” a familiar refrain aimed at discrediting investigations at both state and federal levels. With multiple appeals available and sentencing already deferred, it appears increasingly unlikely that Trump will face prison time, even if the convictions are upheld.