The United States Supreme Court on Thursday denied President-elect Donald Trump’s emergency request to halt his sentencing in the hush money case scheduled for Friday.
In a 5-4 decision, the court, which includes three justices appointed by Trump, stated that the “burden that sentencing will impose on the President-Elect’s responsibilities is relatively insubstantial,” noting that Trump would be allowed to attend virtually.
The sentencing, set for 9:30 am in Manhattan, follows Trump’s conviction in May by a New York jury on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
The Supreme Court also pointed out that the presiding judge, Juan Merchan, has indicated his intention to impose an “unconditional discharge,” a sentence that carries no jail time, fines, or probation.
Split Decision
Four conservative justices—Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh—favored granting Trump’s request to delay sentencing. However, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett, both conservatives, joined the court’s three liberal justices in rejecting the appeal.
Barrett, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh were all appointed to the Supreme Court by Trump during his presidency.
Legal Arguments and Rejection
Trump’s legal team argued that sentencing would cause a “grave injustice,” harm the presidency, and disrupt the federal government. They also contended that immunity typically granted to sitting presidents should be extended to a president-elect.
However, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg rejected these claims, stating that Trump was a private citizen when charged, tried, and convicted. Bragg also argued that the Supreme Court does not have jurisdiction over a state court’s ongoing criminal proceedings.
“There is no basis for such intervention,” Bragg stated, adding that Trump could still appeal his conviction through New York state courts.
Historical Implications
Trump, 78, is the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a crime and will become the first convicted felon to serve in the White House. He faced a potential sentence of up to four years in prison, but legal experts have long anticipated that Judge Merchan would opt against incarceration.
Trump’s certification as the winner of the 2024 presidential election on Monday came nearly four years after his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn his 2020 defeat.
Judge Merchan, who has allowed Trump to attend sentencing virtually, is expected to deliver the ruling on Friday, concluding a high-profile case that has drawn national and international attention.