The sentencing of Donald Trump in his New York hush money trial has been delayed until after November’s presidential election, marking a victory for the Republican candidate as he faces off against Democrat Kamala Harris in a closely contested race.
Originally set for September 18, Trump’s sentencing was tied to his conviction for falsifying business records as part of a scheme to silence a porn star’s damaging allegations.
However, Judge Juan Merchan has now postponed the sentencing to November 26 — well beyond the November 5 election, following a request from Trump’s legal team.
“This is not a decision this Court makes lightly, but it is the decision that, in this Court’s view, best advances the interests of justice,” Merchan stated in his ruling.
Trump was convicted in May on 34 counts of falsifying business records in an effort to conceal hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels, which aimed to prevent her from revealing an alleged sexual encounter just before the 2016 election.
Initially, Trump was scheduled for sentencing on July 11, but this was pushed back after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a former president enjoys broad immunity from criminal prosecution.
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Trump’s lawyers have since moved to dismiss his New York conviction, citing the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling. Merchan is expected to rule on this motion on November 12.
This delay comes as the already intense presidential race enters a crucial phase, with Harris and Trump set to face off in their first televised debate next Tuesday.
Just hours before the ruling, Trump appeared in New York, giving a lengthy speech focused on his legal battles rather than voter concerns such as immigration or the economy. He addressed accusations from multiple women, including sexual harassment and assault claims, as he spoke from the lobby of Trump Tower.
“This is not the kind of publicity you like,” Trump admitted, though he spent a significant portion of the hour reiterating his legal struggles, including rape and sexual assault allegations, such as those from writer E. Jean Carroll.
The legal developments coincided with the distribution of the first mail-in ballots for the election.
North Carolina was set to send out approximately 130,000 absentee ballots, signaling the start of the nationwide voting process, which saw 155 million Americans participate in the 2020 election.
However, the absentee ballot process in North Carolina was temporarily halted after a lawsuit from independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who sought to remove his name from the ballot.
Kennedy, a member of one of America’s most famous political families, has since dropped out and endorsed Trump.
North Carolina, a key swing state, is one of several battlegrounds where Harris and Trump have been heavily campaigning. Other states will soon follow in mailing out ballots, with early in-person voting set to begin in 47 states as early as September 20.
Later on Friday, Trump is expected to deliver a speech in North Carolina.
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