Legal

Trump moves to cancel hush money sentencing on Friday

Trump will argue to an appeals court that he is protected by presidential immunity.

President-elect Donald Trump waits for the start of proceedings in Manhattan criminal court on April 23, 2024, in New York. | Yuki Iwamura/AP

By Erica Orden

01/06/2025 10:35 AM EST

Updated: 01/06/2025 07:17 PM EST

• • Link Copied

NEW YORK — President-elect Donald Trump is seeking to cancel his Friday sentencing for his hush money conviction, arguing that the sentencing hearing must be postponed while he appeals.

Trump’s lawyers signaled in court papers that they will ask a New York appeals court to toss out the jury’s May verdict, which found Trump guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business documents. In his appeal, Trump intends to argue that he is protected by presidential immunity — arguments that the trial judge, Justice Juan Merchan, rejected.

Trump says the sentencing hearing must be halted while higher courts weigh his immunity claims.

Merchan quickly denied Trump’s request on Monday, writing that his arguments “are for the most part, a repetition of arguments he has raised numerous times in the past.” But a higher court could still intervene to block the sentencing.

• 2x
• 1.75x
• 1.5x
• 1.25x
• 1x, selected
• 0.75x
• 0.5x

• Chapters

• descriptions off, selected

• captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
• captions off, selected

• en (Main), selected

This is a modal window.

Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.

© Politico