President-elect Donald Trump faces a crucial legal battle days before his return to the White House.
According to Fox News, Trump's legal team has filed a motion to stay his January 10 sentencing in the New York falsified business records case, citing Supreme Court immunity decisions and state constitutional grounds.
The motion comes as Trump prepares to transition back to the presidency following his election victory, with his team arguing that the case represents political weaponization of the justice system. The Manhattan District Attorney's office has already responded to the filing, rejecting the request to delay the scheduled sentencing.
Trump's legal representatives are basing their motion on multiple legal precedents, including a significant Supreme Court ruling from July regarding presidential immunity. The ruling established that former presidents have substantial protection from prosecution for official acts during their tenure, though not for unofficial actions.
Trump spokesman and incoming White House communications director Steven Cheung stated:
Today, President Trump's legal team moved to stop the unlawful sentencing in the Manhattan D.A.'s Witch Hunt. The Supreme Court's historic decision on Immunity, the state constitution of New York, and other established legal precedent mandate that this meritless hoax be immediately dismissed.
The case has experienced multiple delays, with Trump's attorneys previously requesting Judge Juan Merchan to overturn the guilty verdict based on the Supreme Court's immunity decision.
Judge Merchan has scheduled the sentencing for January 10 at 9:30 a.m., just ten days before Trump's presidential inauguration. The judge has already indicated that Trump will not face prison time, instead opting for an "unconditional discharge" that carries no punishment.
Trump has maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, which stem from 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 payment made to former adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. The payment was allegedly made to suppress claims of an affair that Trump has denied.
Trump expressed his frustration with the case on Truth Social:
Virtually ever legal scholar and pundit says THERE IS NO (ZERO!) CASE AGAINST ME. The Judge fabricated the facts, and the law, no different than the other New York Judicial and Prosecutorial Witch Hunts.
The Manhattan District Attorney's office maintains its position that the sentencing should proceed as scheduled, filing a response on Monday afternoon opposing Trump's motion for a stay. The response explicitly stated that the court should deny the defendant's motion and continue with the January 10 sentencing date.
The timing of the sentencing has become particularly significant given Trump's upcoming inauguration. His team argues that the American people's electoral mandate demands an end to what they characterize as political persecution.
The case represents one of several legal challenges Trump faces as he prepares to return to the presidency, with his team consistently portraying the proceedings as politically motivated attacks.
President-elect Donald Trump's motion to stay his sentencing in the Manhattan case represents the latest development in a complex legal battle involving falsified business records charges. The case centers on a $130,000 payment made to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election, resulting in 34 guilty counts in May. With the January 10 sentencing date approaching and Trump's inauguration set for January 20, the motion's outcome will determine whether the legal proceedings will conclude before he returns to the White House.
