Judge Postpones Trump's Sentencing Amid Presidential Campaign

A Manhattan judge agreed to delay Donald Trump's sentencing in his hush money case until after the presidential election. The move comes as Trump's legal team argued that sentencing during the campaign would constitute election interference. The new date is set for November 26, following Election Day.

A judge agreed Friday to postpone Donald Trump's sentencing in his hush money case until after the November election, granting him a hard-won reprieve as he navigates the aftermath of his criminal conviction and the homestretch of his presidential campaign.

Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan delayed Trump's sentencing until November 26, several weeks after the final votes are cast in the presidential election. Initially, it had been scheduled for September 18, about seven weeks before Election Day. Merchan is also weighing a defence request to overturn the verdict on immunity grounds.

Trump's lawyers petitioned for the delay on multiple fronts, arguing that punishing the former president and current Republican nominee midway through his campaign would amount to election interference. They also contended that postponing the sentencing would provide Trump time to weigh next steps after Merchan decides on their request to reverse his conviction and dismiss the case based on the US Supreme Court's presidential immunity ruling from July.

Judge Merchan delayed a decision on the request until November 12. Meanwhile, a federal judge on Tuesday rejected Trump's request to transfer the case from Merchan's state court to the federal U.S. District Court in Manhattan. Trump's legal team had planned to seek overturning the verdict and dismissing the case on immunity grounds if the transfer had been successful. The Manhattan district attorney's office, which prosecuted Trump's case, deferred to Merchan and did not oppose the defense's delay request. Trump is appealing the federal court ruling.

(With inputs from agencies.)