President Donald Trump has suffered another legal setback after a federal judge rejected his latest attempt to move his New York hush-money case from state court to federal court and have his 34-count felony conviction dismissed.
U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein ruled Friday that Trump’s latest arguments were neither new nor legally sufficient. It was the third time Hellerstein had rejected Trump’s effort to have the federal court take control of the case.
Trump’s Conviction Remains Intact
Donald Trump was convicted in May 2024 on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records connected to a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. The conviction made Trump the first U.S. president to be convicted of a crime.
Trump’s lawyers argued that presidential immunity recognized by the Supreme Court should protect him from prosecution and sought to move the case into federal court. Hellerstein rejected that argument, concluding that the conduct at issue involved Trump’s personal affairs rather than official presidential duties.
Another Legal Roadblock For Trump
The ruling does not end Trump’s broader legal challenge. His lawyers have indicated that they intend to appeal, while Trump continues to maintain that the prosecution was politically motivated.
Donald Trump received an unconditional discharge rather than prison time, meaning he was not sentenced to incarceration, a fine or probation. However, that sentence did not erase the underlying conviction, which remains on his record while his appeals continue.
The latest ruling therefore leaves Donald Trump facing an unusual situation: he is serving as president while continuing to challenge a felony conviction obtained before his return to the White House. The case now moves toward another stage of appellate litigation as Trump’s legal team seeks additional avenues to overturn the verdict.
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