US Court Rejects Trump's Request to Delay 'Hush Money' Ruling... Verdict Scheduled for the 10th as Planned

A U.S. court on the 10th (local time) rejected the request by President-elect Donald Trump to postpone the sentencing in the 'porn actress hush money' case.

According to foreign media including the AP on the 6th, Acting Judge Juan Merchan of the New York State trial court dismissed Trump’s request for a delay and announced that sentencing would proceed as scheduled on the 10th.

President-elect Trump was found guilty last May of paying $130,000 to porn actress Stormy Daniels through his lawyer to silence her about a sexual scandal ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Due to the U.S. election schedule, the sentencing was postponed, and after winning the election, Trump’s side has argued that the guilty verdict should be overturned for smooth government operation.

The trial court upheld the jury’s guilty verdict on the 3rd, and in response, Trump filed an appeal with the state appellate court on the 6th. He also submitted a motion to the trial court requesting a postponement of the sentencing until the appeal results are out. However, the trial court did not accept the request for a delay.

After the decision to reject the postponement request, Trump reacted on his social media platform Truth Social, stating that “(If the guilty verdict is upheld) it will be the end of the presidency as we know it,” opposing the trial court’s decision.

While upholding the guilty verdict against Trump, the trial court indicated that it would not impose a prison sentence considering his status as president-elect. Judge Merchan stated in the ruling, “At this point, it is appropriate to indicate that the court does not intend to impose a prison sentence,” adding, “Although a prison sentence is permitted under the guilty verdict, the prosecution has also acknowledged that seeking imprisonment is no longer realistically possible.”

In this regard, Trump’s lawyers argued that this contradicts the precedent from July last year, which broadly recognized presidential immunity, and expressed their intention to continue legal battles. Trump has consistently maintained his innocence regarding this case.