Judge Juan Merchan of New York's Supreme Court denied former President Donald Trump's motion to transfer his New York criminal fraud conviction to a federal venue, finding that the alleged hush‑money payments do not qualify as official acts that would invoke federal jurisdiction.
The conviction stems from 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal $130,000 paid to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign. Trump’s legal team argued that the case should be heard in federal court, contending that the conduct involved interstate commerce and his official capacity as president.
With the state court ruling, Trump is expected to appeal the decision to the New York Court of Appeals and may seek a petition for certiorari from the U.S. Supreme Court, while his legal team continues to explore other avenues to challenge the conviction and its enforcement.
