Donald Trump to be sentenced on January 10 in hush money trial as guilty verdict upheld

3 January 2025, 21:05 | Updated: 3 January 2025, 21:34

Trump's sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 10.
Trump's sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 10. Picture: Getty

By Josef Al Shemary

A judge has ordered US President-elect Donald Trump to be sentenced on January 10 in the New York hush money case.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

A US judge has ordered former president Donald Trump to be sentenced on January 10 in the New York hush money case, upholding his guilty verdict.

The sentencing will take place just over a week before his inauguration on January 20.

Trump is set to take office on January 20 as the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office.

Trump had previously wanted the judge to throw out the case in light of his presidential election win.

He had argued that going further with the legal proceedings would "threaten the functioning of the federal government”.

President-elect Donald Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts in a New York court on criminal charges involving him paying hush money to a porn star.

Judge Juan Merchan ruled that the case won't be thrown out, after agreeing to postpone the proceedings after Trump's election win.

The judge indicated that Trump isn't likely to be imprisoned.

Justice Merchan, who presided over Trump's trial, signalled in a written decision that he would sentence the former and future president to what is known as a conditional discharge, in which a case gets dismissed if a defendant avoids re-arrest.

Read more: Donald Trump hush money sentencing postponed as judge says president-elect can seek dismissal

Read more: Trump says Starmer is making a ‘very big mistake’ as president-elect blasts UK's energy plans

Melania Trump looks on as President-elect Donald Trump speaks to reporters before a New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago.
Melania Trump looks on as President-elect Donald Trump speaks to reporters before a New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago. Picture: Alamy

Trump was found guilty in May of concealing a hush-money payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 election.

The former US President had pleaded not guilty to all 34 counts, and denied any sexual encounter with Daniels.

Judge Merchan rejected Trump's push to dismiss the verdict and throw out the case on presidential immunity grounds and because of his impending return to the White House.

The judge said he found "no legal impediment to sentencing" Trump and that it was "incumbent" on him to sentence Trump prior to his swearing in on January 20.

"Only by bringing finality to this matter" will the interests of justice be served, Judge Merchan wrote.

The judge said: "While this court as a matter of law must not make any determination on sentencing prior to giving the parties and defendants, opportunity to be heard, it seems proper at this juncture to make known the court's inclination to not impose any sentence of incarceration, a sentence authorised by the conviction but one the people concede they no longer view as a practicable recommendation."

Trump was convicted in May of falsifying his business' records to disguise the true nature of a chain of payments that provided 130,000 dollars to pornstar Stormy Daniels.

She received the money through Mr Trump's then-lawyer, in the waning days of the 2016 presidential campaign.

The payout was meant to keep her quiet about a sexual encounter she says she had with the married Mr Trump a decade earlier.

It was the first ever criminal trial faced by a former or current US president.

Before Trump's November election, his lawyers sought to reverse his conviction using a US Supreme Court decision in July that gave presidents broad immunity from criminal prosecution.

That request was still pending when the election raised new issues.

While urging Judge Merchan to nix the conviction, Trump also sought to move the case to federal court, where he could also assert immunity.

A federal judge repeatedly said no, but Trump appealed.

The hush money case was the only one of Trump's four criminal indictments to go to trial.

Since the election, special counsel Jack Smith has ended his two federal cases.

One pertained to Trump's efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss; the other alleged he hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate.

A separate, state-level election interference case in Georgia is largely on hold.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Universal has confirmed it's opening its first European theme park in Bedfordshire

Universal theme park set to open in Bedfordshire in 2031 in multi-billion pound boost for economy

Serial Killer Conviction Prompts Police To Warn Of Dating App Dangers

Paedophiles targeting single mums on dating apps in order to exploit their children

Exclusive
Sir Steve Redgrave has called for an urgent cleanup of the River Thames

Sir Steve Redgrave calls for clean-up of River Thames ahead of Oxford-Cambridge boat race

Glenn Armstrong bombarded the woman with unwanted messages prior to breaking into her Spennymoor home at around 4am on Thursday, January 2.

Stalker who bombarded ex with messages jailed for breaking into her home - after police find him at top of stairs with knife

Barry Dawson, 60, was killed after being shot through his front window, police have said

'Popular' County Durham dad, 60, was 'shot through his front window', police confirm

Esme Baker, 10, and her father, Lee Baker, 48, were killed in the fire

Fire at caravan park that killed father, 48, and daughter, 10, was 'accidental', investigation finds

Gladiators star Zack George, known as Steel, has revealed that his baby son has died.

Gladiators star reveals heartbreaking loss as baby boy dies days after being born prematurely

Boy, 15, and girl, 13, guilty of manslaughter following the death of Leicester pensioner Bhim Kohli

Bhim Kohli's teenage killers 'humiliated' pensioner in 'brutal and cruel' attack, says heartbroken daughter

Close up of a Police logo on a police officers uniform in Leeds,WEst Yorkshire,UK

Norwegian teenager arrested after being caught with guns in Yorkshire hotel room

x

UK should not 'jump in with both feet' to retaliate against Trump trade tariffs, PM urges

Wahib

'Jealous and controlling husband' who tried to cut wife's head off before leaving her to bleed to death jailed for life

Ashbourne Derbyshire England UK.

Two dead after aircraft crash in Derbyshire, as police tell public to avoid the area

The Government must “invest in childhood” or risk losing the next generation to poor mental health, a charity has warned.

Invest in childhood ‘or risk losing a generation to poor mental health’, charity warns

US-ECONOMY-MARKET-STOCKS

Relief for financial markets as stocks rebound from historic losses days on from tariff turmoil

XL Bullies Being Walked On Private Land After Ban

XL Bully mauled two people after being ordered to ‘kill’ by owner as victims left with 'horrific injuries'

Kerri Pegg, former governor of HMP Kirkham,

Prison governor guilty of misconduct after relationship with drug boss 'Jesse Pinkman' who gifted her £12k Mercedes