Trump's Legal Battle Postponed to 2029

President-elect Trump’s sentencing in his New York criminal case will not go forward as planned next week as his attorneys push to dismiss the prosecution following his election victory.

Judge Juan Merchan, who oversees the trial proceedings, announced the adjournment in a letter Friday.

The judge halted the case to accept additional written briefing on Trump’s argument that his return to the White House compels the court to toss his 34-count felony conviction entirely.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) is opposing that request. Instead, Bragg floated that Merchan could freeze the proceedings while Trump is in office, meaning the conviction would remain on the books but sentencing wouldn’t occur until 2029, at the earliest.

Merchan ordered Trump to file his formal motion asking for dismissal by Dec. 2 and Bragg to respond by Dec. 9. The judge will then decide how to proceed.

Though both sides agreed to delay the sentencing, the new schedule aligns with Bragg’s request. Trump had asked for a slower timeline that would push the dismissal battle closer to his inauguration.

The Hill has reached out to the district attorney’s office for comment.

Steven Cheung, Trump’s campaign spokesperson and incoming White House communications director, called the ruling a “decisive win” for the former and future president.

“President Trump won a landslide victory as the American People have issued a mandate to return him to office and dispose of all remnants of the Witch…   Hunt cases,” he said. “All of the sham lawfare attacks against President Trump are now destroyed and we are focused on Making America Great Again.”

The former president’s criminal defense strategy long rested on delaying until after the election. Trump successfully staved off trial in his other three criminal prosecutions, and in the only case that did reach a verdict, the New York hush money case, he successfully pushed the sentencing until after voters headed to the ballot box.

The jury’s verdict made Trump the first former U.S. president convicted of a felony.

When he returns to the White House, he would become the first person to assume the nation’s highest office with such a criminal record — if the conviction stands.