As Donald Trump gets ready to begin his second term in the U.S. presidency, his journey back to the Oval Office has hit a major legal roadblock.
In a significant blow to President-elect Donald Trump, the U.S. Supreme Court has rejected his emergency appeal to halt his criminal sentencing in New York. This decision allows the sentencing hearing to proceed as planned on Friday.
The ruling comes just 10 days before Trump’s inauguration. Despite this setback, Trump has been gearing up to fulfill his promises related to cryptocurrency, including plans to ease digital asset regulations and promote blockchain innovation during his upcoming term.
In a 5-4 decision, the majority of the court, including Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Amy Coney Barrett, and Ketanji Brown Jackson, determined that the burdens associated with the sentencing were minimal.
The sentencing stems from Trump’s conviction in May 2024 on 34 felony charges related to falsifying business records to conceal payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign.
The hearing will be held virtually and is expected to result in an “unconditional discharge,” sparing Trump from serving any prison time.
“The alleged evidentiary violations in President-Elect Trump’s state-court trial can be addressed through the normal appeals process,” the court stated in its decision.
The dissenting Justices—Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh—did not offer any explanation for their opposition to the ruling.
Prosecutors have argued that the hush-money payments made to Stormy Daniels were intended to suppress damaging allegations against Trump leading up to the election.
Trump has consistently denied these charges, labeling the case as a politically motivated “witch hunt.”
“This is nothing but an attempt to weaponize our legal system against a political adversary,” Trump declared on his Truth Social platform, dismissing the charges as “fake” and “fabricated.”
While expressing appreciation for the Supreme Court’s decision, Trump criticized the judge overseeing the case as “highly political and corrupt.”
“We will still pursue an appeal, if only for the sake of principle, because frankly, it’s a disgrace,” Trump remarked during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate, as reported by the New York Times.
Trump’s Vision for Cryptocurrency
Trump has outlined ambitious plans for the cryptocurrency industry as part of his reelection campaign.
His proposals include establishing a national Bitcoin reserve, supporting domestic crypto mining operations, and opposing the creation of a U.S. Central Bank Digital Currency.
Recently, Trump named Paul Atkins, a former SEC commissioner known for his favorable stance on cryptocurrencies, as his choice to lead the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Atkins is set to replace outgoing SEC Chair Gary Gensler, who faced criticism from the crypto community for his strict enforcement actions and will step down upon Trump’s inauguration.
Trump praised Atkins as a “seasoned leader in implementing sensible regulations” and a supporter of innovation in financial markets.
These initiatives have garnered Trump significant support from crypto enthusiasts who have often accused the previous administration of adopting a heavy-handed “regulation-by-enforcement” approach.