Trump loses bid to transfer New York hush money case to federal court

Key Points:

• Federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein denied President Donald Trump's third request to transfer his New York state criminal hush money case to federal court, ruling that Trump waited too long after his May 2024 conviction and the subsequent Supreme Court ruling to seek removal.
• Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payments made to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election and sentenced to unconditional discharge in January 2025.
• Hellerstein ruled that hush money payments and cover-ups are not official acts protected by presidential immunity, rejecting Trump's argument that evidence involving presidential aides should have been excluded.
• Trump's legal team filed a notice of appeal against Hellerstein's ruling, which will be heard by the 2nd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, while Trump is also separately appealing his conviction in the New York state appeals court.
• The ruling is part of a series of recent legal setbacks for Trump, including civil judgments against him related to E. Jean Carroll's defamation and sexual abuse claims, and the dismissal of his defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal.