By Staff Writer
August 29, 2026
A federal judge has rejected President Donald Trump’s latest effort to move his New York criminal hush money case from state court to federal court, dealing another setback to his attempt to overturn his conviction.
U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein ruled Friday that Trump’s latest arguments did not provide a sufficient legal basis for transferring the case. The judge reaffirmed his earlier decision, saying the reasons presented by Trump were neither new nor legally adequate. (ABC News)
The decision marks the third time Hellerstein has blocked efforts to bring the case under federal jurisdiction. Trump’s legal team has argued that the case should be reconsidered in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2024 ruling on presidential immunity. (ABC7 San Francisco)
Trump’s 34-count conviction remains intact
Trump was found guilty in May 2024 on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. The charges stemmed from records connected to a $130,000 payment made to adult-film performer Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. Prosecutors argued that the payment and subsequent reimbursements were improperly recorded in business documents. (Manhattan District Attorney's Office)
The conviction made Trump the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a crime. Although he later received an unconditional discharge, meaning he was not given jail time, probation or a fine, the conviction itself remained in place. (ABC7 San Francisco)
Trump has continued to challenge the verdict through the courts and has maintained that the prosecution was politically motivated.
Presidential immunity argument rejected
A major part of Trump's legal strategy has centered on the Supreme Court's 2024 presidential immunity decision, which established protections against criminal prosecution for certain official presidential actions.
Trump's lawyers argued that some evidence used during his New York trial could be protected under that ruling. Hellerstein, however, concluded that the conduct at the center of the hush money case involved Trump's personal affairs rather than his official responsibilities as president. (Reuters)
The judge also criticized the timing of Trump's latest attempt to transfer the case, finding that his legal team had not demonstrated the necessary good cause and diligence for pursuing the move at this stage. (Evrim Ağacı)
Trump’s lawyers plan to appeal
The ruling does not end Trump's legal challenge. His attorneys have indicated that they intend to appeal the decision, continuing a broader effort to overturn the New York conviction. (ABC News)
For now, however, the case remains in New York state court, and Trump's 34-count conviction remains in effect.
The latest ruling adds another chapter to a legal battle that has continued long after the original 2024 trial, with Trump's lawyers seeking to use presidential immunity arguments and federal jurisdiction to challenge the conviction.
Bottom line: Judge Hellerstein's decision means Trump has once again failed to shift his New York hush money case into federal court. His conviction remains intact while his legal team continues pursuing appeals. (Reuters)
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