A judge has ruled that former President Donald Trump must be sentenced on January 10, 2024, for his involvement in the hush money scandal.
This decision comes after Trump was convicted in May 2024 for making illegal payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election.
Justice Juan Merchan, presiding over the case, denied Trump’s motion to dismiss the charges, despite his victory in the 2024 presidential election.
Trump had argued that the case should be dropped due to its potential interference with his ability to govern.
However, Merchan rejected this claim, emphasizing that dismissing the case would “undermine the Rule of Law” and that the status of Trump as President-elect should not prevent the case from proceeding.
The sentencing, scheduled just 10 days before Trump’s inauguration, could be conducted in person or virtually, according to the judge’s ruling.
While the prosecution has suggested options such as delaying the sentencing until Trump leaves office or offering a sentence without prison time, the judge is expected to issue a ruling based on the severity of the conviction.
READ ALSO: Brit Killed in New Orleans Terror Attack Linked to Royal Family Through Stepmother
The case stems from a $130,000 payment made by Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to Stormy Daniels in exchange for her silence about an alleged affair with Trump, which he has denied.
In May, a Manhattan jury convicted Trump on 34 counts of falsifying business records in an attempt to cover up the payment, marking the first time a former or sitting U.S. president had been convicted of a criminal offense.
Trump has continued to deny the charges, calling the case politically motivated and a tactic to harm his 2024 presidential campaign.
In addition to the hush money case, Trump faces other criminal charges, including those related to classified documents and his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results.