Trump To Become 1st Felon In Executive Office After Supreme Court Rejects Bid To Postpone Sentencing

In a last-minute attempt, Trump asked the Supreme Court to consider whether he was entitled to an automatic stay of his sentencing. Justices rejected his application narrowly, 5-4.

President-elect Donald Trump was sentenced in his hush money case, making him the first felon to hold the executive office. Trump faced up to four years in prison, but New York State Judge Juan Merchan did not impose any punishment. Instead, Merchan sentenced him to ” an unconditional discharge,” meaning his conviction stands with no further penalties.

Trump briefly addressed the court by video, stating his criminal trial and conviction have “been a very terrible experience.”

The President-elects sentencing comes one day after the Supreme Court denied President-elect Donald Trump’s request to delay sentencing in his criminal hush-money case. In a last-minute attempt, Trump asked the Supreme Court to consider whether he was entitled to an automatic stay of his sentencing. Justices rejected his application narrowly, 5-4.

In May 2024, a jury of 12 unanimously found Trump guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records to hide reimbursements of $130,000 to adult film star Stormy Daniels. The payments were disguised as legal expenses.

Two of the Supreme Court’s conservative justices — John Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett — joined the three liberals on the high court in denying Trump’s request for a delay. The remaining four justices, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Clarence Thomas, would have allowed Trump’s bid to postpone sentencing, according to the BBC.

Three lower courts in New York rejected Trump’s legal team’s request for a delay, prompting Trump’s legal team to petition the Supreme Court to intervene on Wednesday. The Supreme Court decided on Thursday. Justices in the high court reportedly denied Trump’s petition and said his concerns should be addressed during his appeal.

Trump Hints at Appeal

Its decision surprised many, especially since last year, the 6-3 conservative majority handed Trump a significant victory by ruling 6-3 that US presidents have immunity from criminal prosecution for “official acts” undertaken in office.

This ruling ultimately ceased federal prosecution against Trump on charges that he illegally interfered in the 2020 election. Since then, Trump’s lawyers have tried to use the Supreme Court’s ruling to convince judges that presidential immunity protections should also apply to the president-elect in the Manhattan criminal case.

Manhattan prosecutors have pushed back on that idea, stating, “It is axiomatic that there is only one President at a time.”

Judge Merchan sentenced Trump ten days before his Inauguration. Trump will make history as the only president sentenced on criminal charges.

Following the Supreme Court’s decision, Trump made remarks to the media from his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, alluding to further appeals.

“So I’ll do my little thing tomorrow. They can have fun with their political opponent,” he said.