President-elect Donald Trump is set to be sentenced on Friday for his conviction in the hush money case involving payments to an adult film star, marking the culmination of an unprecedented criminal case against a U.S. president.
The sentencing, scheduled for 9:30 a.m. ET in a Manhattan court, follows a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, which rejected Trump’s last-minute attempt to delay the proceedings just 10 days before his January 20 inauguration.
Justice Juan Merchan, who presided over the 2024 trial, indicated he does not plan to impose jail time or fines. However, the judgment will place a conviction on Trump’s permanent record. Trump, 78, who pleaded not guilty, is expected to appear virtually for the hearing.
The case stemmed from a $130,000 payment made by Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to adult film star Stormy Daniels to buy her silence about an alleged affair before the 2016 election, which Trump has denied. The Manhattan jury convicted Trump on May 30, 2024, on 34 counts of falsifying business records.
Prosecutors argued the payments aimed to influence the 2016 election, which Trump won against Democrat Hillary Clinton. Critics highlighted the case, alongside Trump’s other legal battles, as evidence of his unsuitability for public office.
Trump, however, claimed the case—and other legal actions against him—was a politically motivated attempt to undermine his reelection bid. Despite these challenges, Trump won the November 5, 2024, election.
Throughout the trial, Trump criticized prosecutors and witnesses, prompting Justice Merchan to fine him $10,000 for violating a gag order. Merchan accused Trump of disrespecting the judiciary and warned that overturning the verdict would undermine the rule of law.
“This sentencing underscores the principle that no individual is above the law,” Merchan stated in a prior ruling.
Hours before the sentencing, Trump announced plans to appeal the conviction, expressing confidence in a favorable outcome.
The hush money case is one of several legal battles Trump has faced, including charges related to attempts to overturn the 2020 election and mishandling classified documents. While he pleaded not guilty in all cases, the Manhattan case is the first to reach trial.
Federal prosecutors paused their cases against Trump following his election victory, adhering to Justice Department policies regarding sitting presidents. A state-level case in Georgia over 2020 election interference remains unresolved after the lead prosecutor was disqualified in December.
Trump’s indictment in March 2023 led to a surge in campaign contributions, bolstering his Republican primary campaign. However, polling during the trial revealed a majority of voters viewed the charges seriously, with some decline in his standing among Republican voters after the guilty verdict.
As Trump prepares for his second term, the sentencing serves as a historic reminder of the legal and political challenges that have defined his rise to power.
