President-elect Donald Trump has filed a motion to delay his January 10 sentencing in the hush money case, citing legal precedents and a recent Supreme Court ruling on immunity. His legal team argues that the trial violates New York’s state constitution and established laws, positioning the case as part of ongoing political persecution.
Trump’s spokesperson, Steven Cheung, described the trial as a “meritless hoax” in a statement, accusing the justice system of being politically weaponized. He emphasized that Trump’s return to the White House demands an end to what he referred to as “Witch Hunts.”
The case stems from a $130,000 payment made in 2016 to former adult film actress Stormy Daniels, aimed at silencing her allegations of an affair with Trump. In May 2024, Trump was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to the payment.
The sentencing, scheduled just 10 days before Trump’s January 20 inauguration, has heightened tensions between his legal team and prosecutors. The defense hopes to leverage the Supreme Court’s recent immunity ruling to dismiss the charges altogether.
Prosecutors maintain that Trump’s actions were clear violations of business record laws and insist the sentencing proceed as planned. They have labeled the immunity argument a distraction from the substantive issues of the case.
