Key Facts

• A New York judge, Alvin Hellerstein, rejected President Trump's request to move his hush-money case to federal court for the third time.
• Trump was convicted in 2024 of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with hush-money payments.
• The payments were allegedly to Stormy Daniels to keep her silent about an affair claim, which Trump denies.
• Trump's lawyers argue the conviction should be dropped based on a 2024 Supreme Court ruling expanding presidential immunity.
• Judge Hellerstein ruled that paying hush money or covering up an embarrassment is not protected by presidential immunity.
• Trump’s appeal team plans to continue fighting the conviction and seeks to use federal court rulings to overturn the case.
• The hush-money case is the only one of four indictments against Trump in 2023 to reach trial; the others were dropped after his 2024 re-election.
• Although convicted, Trump was sentenced to an unconditional discharge, meaning no jail time or fines, but the conviction stays on his record.