The judge will announce the ruling in the case against Trump shortly before the inauguration.

According to the judge, he leans towards "unconditional release." This option suggests that the verdict remains in place, but the defendant will not receive a prison sentence, fine, or probation period. In his 18-page decision, Juan Merchan rejected various motions from Trump's attorneys seeking to overturn the verdict.

In May 2024, Trump was found guilty on 34 counts related to falsifying business records to conceal payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels. This was reportedly done shortly before the 2016 election to prevent Daniels from revealing an alleged sexual encounter from 2006. The politician has consistently denied any wrongdoing, labeling the prosecution as a "witch hunt."

Donald Trump's lawyers attempted to have the case dismissed on various grounds, including last year's Supreme Court ruling that former U.S. presidents enjoy comprehensive immunity from prosecution for a range of official actions taken while in office.

Judge Merchan rejected this argument but noted that Trump would be protected from prosecution once he takes the oath of office as president.