Former president Donald Trump's sentencing in the Manhattan hush money criminal trial has been rescheduled to November 26. Judge Juan Merchan announced the delay on Friday, citing the "unique time frame" of the case as one of the reasons for postponing the sentencing until after the November election.
According to Reuters, the sentencing has been delayed to avoid the unwarranted perception of a political motive.
Judge Merchan explained that the sentencing for Donald Trump's Manhattan hush money case has been postponed to November 26 to ensure the focus remains solely on the jury's verdict. He emphasized that the decision was made to prevent any impression—whether justified or not—that the timing might influence or be influenced by the upcoming presidential election in which Trump is a candidate. By setting the sentencing exactly three weeks after the November 5 election, Judge Merchan aims to uphold the court's commitment to being fair, impartial, and apolitical.
In mid-August, Trump requested Judge Merchan to delay the sentencing for his conviction on falsifying business records related to a hush money payment to a porn star. Trump's legal team noted that the original sentencing date of September 18 fell after the beginning of early voting, arguing that it could unfairly impact the presidential race.
The Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling, pertaining to a different criminal case involving Trump, determined that presidents cannot be criminally prosecuted for actions taken in their official capacity. Additionally, it established that evidence of a president's official actions cannot be used to support criminal cases related to unofficial conduct, reported The Guardian.
Donald Trump could potentially face a prison sentence of up to four years, but Judge Juan Merchan has the authority to issue a lesser punishment, such as a fine, probation, or a shorter sentence. Prosecutors in this case allege that the former president tried to hide a payment made to adult-film star Stormy Daniels to secure her silence during the final days of his 2016 presidential campaign.
Trump's original sentencing was scheduled for July, but his legal team postponed it following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that granted sitting presidents some immunity from criminal prosecution for "official acts." This ruling allowed Trump's lawyers to argue for delaying the process, as they examined its potential implications on his case.
Trump has consistently maintained his innocence, stating that he did nothing wrong. After the U.S. Supreme Court ruling, he told Fox News that the "case should be dead," reinforcing his belief that the legal proceedings against him should be dismissed.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump expressed gratitude that Judge Merchan acknowledged the sentencing would only occur if the judge denies a pending motion from his lawyers to overturn the jury's verdict. Trump stated, "This case should be rightfully terminated as we prepare for the Most Important Election in the History of our Country." However, he denied the encounter and has vowed to appeal the verdict once he is sentenced.
