In May, a Manhattan jury reached a significant verdict by convicting Donald Trump on 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records. These records pertained to payments made to adult-film star Stormy Daniels to ensure her silence during the election year regarding an alleged affair. This conviction left the possibility of potential jail time hanging over Trump as he aimed to secure a second term in the White House. However, this week, the chances of the now-president-elect being sentenced before his January inauguration became even more distant as prosecutors in the case proposed freezing the proceedings until Trump's term ends.

Manhattan District Attorney's Stance

Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney leading the case against Trump, indicated on Tuesday that he would not oppose postponing Trump's sentencing hearing, which is currently scheduled for November 26. In a letter to Judge Juan Merchan, Bragg stated that his office intends to challenge Trump's legal team's motion to dismiss the case entirely. He also acknowledged the need to clear the calendar for litigation and requested a December 9 deadline to respond. Additionally, Bragg raised the possibility of halting proceedings until Trump has completed his term, which would freeze the case until 2029.

Balancing Constitutional Interests

The letter read, "Given the need to balance competing constitutional interests, consideration must be given to various non-dismissal options that may address any concerns raised by the pendency of a post-trial criminal proceeding during the presidency, such as deferral of all remaining criminal proceedings until after the end of Defendant’s upcoming presidential term." Judge Juan Merchan has not yet made a decision on Bragg's recommendation. On Tuesday, the judge was scheduled to issue his ruling on Trump's legal team's request to consider the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on presidential immunity on the sentencing and the case as a whole. The 6-3 Supreme Court ruling, split along ideological lines, stated that past and future presidents cannot be prosecuted for official acts taken while in office. Judge Merchan was initially supposed to issue his ruling last week but postponed it after attorneys on both sides requested additional time to determine the next steps following Trump's Election Day victory.

Effects of Supreme Court Decision

The Supreme Court's decision had immediate effects, leading to the first of several delays in Trump's sentencing in the hush-money case. The federal government's cases against Trump were also hindered by this decision. Judge Aileen Cannon, who had been supportive of Trump throughout, dismissed the Justice Department's classified-documents case altogether. Special counsel Jack Smith was also compelled to revise his office's election-subversion indictment, removing any allegation that could be considered an official act. Although Smith initially pushed to keep the two cases alive, he has indicated his plans to wind down the prosecutions in light of Trump's election. It is a long-standing policy of the Justice Department to refrain from prosecuting a sitting president.