A federal judge has once again rejected President Donald Trump’s effort to move his New York criminal case involving hush money payments from state court to federal court. The ruling marks another setback for Trump as he continues to challenge his conviction while pursuing multiple appeals.
District Judge Alvin Hellerstein ruled that the arguments presented by Trump’s legal team did not justify transferring the case to the federal court system. The judge stated that the reasons offered were neither new nor legally strong enough to support the request.
The decision follows a review ordered by a federal appeals court. Last year, the appeals court directed Hellerstein to reconsider the matter after the United States Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling on presidential immunity. That ruling expanded protections for presidents regarding official actions taken while in office.
Despite reviewing the case again, Hellerstein reached the same conclusion. He said the conduct at the center of the prosecution involved Trump’s personal affairs and had no meaningful connection to his duties as president.
According to the ruling, the criminal case focuses on reimbursements linked to hush money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Prosecutors argued that the payments were part of an effort to hide information during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Hellerstein wrote that discussions and actions related to those payments were private matters. He said they could not be considered official presidential acts. The judge noted that personal relationships and efforts to conceal them do not fall within the responsibilities of the presidency.
The ruling also addressed arguments related to evidence presented during the trial. Trump’s lawyers claimed that prosecutors relied on testimony and information connected to White House staff members. They argued that such evidence should be protected under the Supreme Court’s immunity decision.
Hellerstein rejected that position. He stated that presidential aides can assist with personal matters that are unrelated to official government business. As a result, he found no reason to treat the evidence as protected presidential activity.
Trump quickly appealed the decision. His legal team argued that constitutional protections and the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling support moving the case to federal court. They continue to maintain that the conviction should be overturned.
The legal battle stems from Trump’s conviction in 2024 on 34 counts of falsifying business records. The charges were tied to payments made during the 2016 election cycle. Prosecutors said the records were altered to hide the true purpose of the reimbursements.
Although Trump was found guilty, he did not receive jail time, probation, or financial penalties. Instead, the court imposed an unconditional discharge. While the sentence carried no direct punishment, the conviction made Trump the first U.S. president to be convicted of a felony.
Trump’s attorneys have repeatedly argued that presidential immunity should shield him from prosecution. They point to payments made while he was serving in the White House and argue that actions involving his administration should receive legal protection.
However, the judge emphasized that the case centers on personal conduct rather than official government actions. He said the alleged efforts to conceal information before the election and the later reimbursements did not relate to presidential responsibilities.
The ruling also highlighted timing issues. Hellerstein noted that Trump’s legal team waited before renewing its request to move the case to federal court. Instead, the lawyers first sought relief in state court.
According to the judge, that choice was a strategic decision. He wrote that changing legal tactics later did not provide enough justification for transferring the case. The delay, he said, weakened the argument for federal removal.
The Trump Hush Money Case now continues through the state appeals process. Trump’s conviction is currently being reviewed by New York appellate courts. If those appeals are unsuccessful, the case could eventually reach New York’s highest court.
Legal experts say there is also a possibility that issues connected to the case could later be presented to the U.S. Supreme Court. For now, however, the federal court ruling means the case will remain in New York’s state court system as the appeals process moves forward.
The latest decision keeps one of the most closely watched legal cases involving a sitting president on its current path, ensuring that the long-running dispute will continue through the courts in the months ahead.
