Donald Trump, despite being the president-elect, is facing an upcoming sentencing related to his involvement in a hush money scandal. What are the implications of this for his presidency?
The former president will assume office once again in January after successfully defeating Kamala Harris in the 2024 US presidential election.
On Wednesday (6 November), Trump declared his victory from his campaign headquarters in West Palm Beach, Florida, following projections that he won the crucial battleground states of North Carolina, Georgia, and Pennsylvania.
In his speech, Trump claimed he had ‘made history,’ accompanied by some of his prominent supporters on stage.
“Every single day I will be fighting for you, with every single breath in my body. I will not rest until we have delivered the strong, safe and prosperous America that children deserve,” Trump stated.
“And that you deserve. This will truly be the golden age for America.”
As Trump gears up for his return to the Oval Office, he has a sentencing date scheduled for November 26 concerning his role in a hush money case.
The former president became a convicted felon after being found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in Manhattan.
He had denied the allegations, which involved claims that the records were tied to a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels, facilitated by his former lawyer, Michael Cohen.
Following his guilty verdict, Trump criticized the trial as a ‘disgrace’ and ‘rigged,’ insisting he was an ‘innocent man.’
Given Trump’s status as president-elect, what potential impact might this have on his upcoming sentencing?
Business Insider previously noted that regardless of the election outcome, Trump would be subject to a mandatory sentencing.
However, there remains a possibility that the sentencing date could be postponed, as Trump might argue that his presidential duties take precedence.
It was widely believed that Trump would not face jail time for these charges. His position as president-elect further diminishes the likelihood of imprisonment, according to Neama Rahmani, president of West Coast Trial Lawyers.
“Trump winning makes it logistically impossible and a certainty that he won’t receive any time,” Rahmani told Business Insider.
In relation to Trump’s situation, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, former chief of the Manhattan District Attorney’s trial division, commented: “If he wins, say goodbye to all the criminal cases,” as reported by ABC News.
She added that a Trump victory would serve as a ‘get out of jail free card’ for him.