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The Supreme Court denied President Donald Trump’s request to block the sentencing in his New York hush money case on Thursday night.
Trump is scheduled to face sentencing before Judge Juan Merchan on Friday morning at 10:00 a.m. Eastern, though no jail time is expected.
Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor issued the court’s ruling to announce the decision.
“The application for stay presented to Justice Sotomayor and by her referred to the Court is denied for … the following reasons,” the order said. “First, the alleged evidentiary violations at President-Elect Trump’s state-court trial can be addressed in the ordinary course on appeal.
“Second, the burden that sentencing will impose on the President-Elect’s responsibilities is relatively insubstantial in light of the trial court’s stated intent to impose a sentence of ‘unconditional discharge’ after a brief virtual hearing.”
Trump responded in a statement on Truth Social following the Supreme Court’s emergency ruling.
“I appreciate the time and effort of the United States Supreme Court in trying to remedy the great injustice done to me by the highly conflicted ‘Acting Justice,’ who should not have been allowed to try this case. Every Legal Scholar stated, unequivocally, that this is a case that should never have been brought. There was no case against me. In other words, I am innocent of all of the Judge’s made up, fake charges. This was nothing other than Weaponization of our Justice System against a Political Opponent,” Trump wrote.
“It’s called Lawfare, and nothing like this has ever happened in the United States of America, and it should never be allowed to happen again. To this day, this highly political and corrupt Judge has put a gag order on me, which takes away my First Amendment right to speak about very important aspects of the case. For the sake and sanctity of the Presidency, I will be appealing this case, and am confident that JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL. The pathetic, dying remnants of the Witch Hunts against me will not distract us as we unite and, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” he continued.
The sentencing comes just 10 days ahead of Trump’s inauguration. Trump has vowed to appeal the case that will make him the first convicted felon to take office as president.
