President-elect Donald Trump will face sentencing on Jan. 10 for his conviction in a landmark criminal case involving a $130,000 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. The proceedings, presided over by Justice Juan Merchan in a Manhattan courtroom, mark an unprecedented moment in American history, as Trump becomes the first U.S. president—current or former—convicted of a criminal offense.
The case centers on payments made by Trump’s then-attorney, Michael Cohen, in the days leading up to the 2016 presidential election. Daniels alleged the payment was meant to ensure her silence about a sexual encounter she claims to have had with Trump in 2006. Trump has denied the encounter and any wrongdoing.
In May, a Manhattan jury found Trump guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up the payment. Justice Merchan, in a ruling issued Friday, rejected Trump’s legal team’s arguments for dismissing the case based on claims of presidential immunity and constitutional protections.
“This court finds that neither the vacatur of the jury’s verdicts nor dismissal of the indictment are required by the Presidential immunity doctrine, the Presidential Transition Act, or the Supremacy Clause,” Merchan wrote.
Although the conviction authorizes a potential jail sentence, Merchan indicated he is not inclined to impose incarceration. “While this Court as a matter of law must not make any determination on sentencing prior to giving the parties and Defendants opportunity to be heard, it seems proper at this juncture to make known the Court’s inclination to not impose any sentence of incarceration,” the judge wrote. Prosecutors have reportedly signaled they do not view imprisonment as a practical option in this case.
The sentencing date is just 10 days before Trump’s scheduled inauguration as the 47th president, following his victory in the 2024 election. Legal experts say the timing and gravity of the case underscore its historical significance, adding another chapter to the ongoing legal challenges faced by the former president.
Cohen, who previously pleaded guilty to related charges and served time in prison, testified that he arranged the payment at Trump’s direction. The revelation became a focal point of the case, raising broader questions about accountability and the limits of executive power.
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