Here’s what happened.
President Donald Trump was handed a significant legal setback Friday after a federal judge rejected his latest attempt to move his New York criminal case into federal court.
The ruling shuts down, for now, a federal legal strategy Trump’s attorneys hoped could provide another avenue for challenging his historic 34-count conviction.
But Trump is not giving up.
His attorneys quickly moved to appeal the decision to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, setting up yet another courtroom battle over a case Trump and his supporters have long argued was politically motivated.
Trump is also separately appealing his conviction through New York’s state court system.
Federal Judge Rejects Trump’s Latest Move
U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein rejected Trump’s renewed request to transfer the Manhattan criminal case from New York state court into the federal system.
Hellerstein, who was appointed to the federal bench by former President Bill Clinton, concluded that Trump’s latest attempt came too late and did not provide sufficient legal grounds to justify moving the case.
The ruling marks another setback for Trump’s effort to get the case before a federal judge.
But the legal battle is far from finished.
Trump’s attorneys filed notice that they intend to appeal Hellerstein’s ruling, meaning the dispute is heading back toward the federal appeals court.
Why Trump Wanted The Case Moved
At the heart of the fight is the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on presidential immunity.
The Supreme Court determined in 2024 that presidents have significant immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts performed as part of their constitutional responsibilities.
Trump’s attorneys argue that the ruling has major implications for his New York conviction.
Their position is that prosecutors introduced evidence involving Trump’s actions while he was serving as president and that some of that material should have been protected under the Supreme Court’s immunity standard.
Moving the case into federal court could have given Trump’s lawyers another route for advancing those arguments.
Hellerstein disagreed.
The judge concluded that the conduct at the center of the Manhattan case was personal rather than an official presidential act.
That disagreement could now become a central issue as Trump’s lawyers continue their appeal.
Trump Was Convicted On 34 Felony Counts
A Manhattan jury convicted Trump in May 2024 on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
The case centered on records associated with a $130,000 payment made by Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen to adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election.
Daniels alleged that she previously had a sexual encounter with Trump, something Trump has denied.
Prosecutors argued that business records connected to Cohen’s reimbursement were falsified as part of an effort to conceal information ahead of the election.
Trump pleaded not guilty and has consistently maintained that he committed no crime.
He has also repeatedly characterized the prosecution brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, as politically motivated.
Trump Received No Jail Time Or Fine
Although Trump was convicted on all 34 counts, he was ultimately sentenced to an unconditional discharge.
That meant Trump received no jail sentence, probation or fine.
The conviction itself, however, remained in place.
That distinction is important because Trump’s ongoing legal fight is now focused heavily on getting the conviction overturned.
His attorneys are pursuing that goal through New York’s appellate courts while simultaneously fighting over whether the case can enter the federal court system.
Appeals Court Previously Gave Trump Another Chance
Friday’s decision came after Trump had already secured an important victory before the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
The federal appeals court previously concluded that Hellerstein needed to take another look at Trump’s request and more carefully consider questions surrounding presidential immunity.
That did not mean the appeals court agreed that Trump’s conviction should be thrown out.
Instead, the court sent the matter back to Hellerstein for additional consideration.
After reviewing the issue again, Hellerstein reached the same bottom line: the case would remain in New York state court.
Trump’s lawyers are now challenging that conclusion.
Michael Cohen Adds New Twist To Trump Case
The latest court fight comes amid renewed attention surrounding Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal attorney and one of the prosecution’s most important witnesses.
Cohen’s testimony played a major role during Trump’s trial.
But the relationship between the two men has taken another remarkable turn.
After years of bitter public attacks, Cohen and Trump recently spoke publicly again, and Cohen has made claims that he felt pressured or coerced regarding testimony he provided.
Trump has seized on Cohen’s statements as additional evidence supporting his broader argument that the legal system was weaponized against him.
Whether Cohen’s latest remarks will have any meaningful effect on Trump’s appeal remains unclear.
Still, the development adds another layer to a criminal case that has remained politically and legally contentious for years.
Presidential Immunity Remains At Center Of Fight
Trump’s federal strategy revolves largely around the scope of presidential immunity.
His attorneys contend that evidence introduced during his Manhattan trial touched on conduct connected to his first term in the White House.
Hellerstein concluded that the underlying conduct did not fall within Trump’s official presidential responsibilities.
That creates a fundamental disagreement between Trump’s attorneys and the federal judge over how the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling should apply.
The question could become increasingly important as Trump’s challenge works its way through the appellate process.
The New York Appeal Is Still Moving Forward
Friday’s ruling does not mean Trump has lost his ability to challenge the conviction.
Trump continues to pursue a separate appeal through New York’s state courts.
His latest federal loss instead concerns his effort to move the already-decided criminal case into federal court, where his attorneys hoped to advance their immunity arguments through a different legal path.
That distinction could become especially important as the case moves forward.
Trump now has legal challenges unfolding on more than one front, with his attorneys seeking to overturn a conviction that remains unprecedented in American presidential history.
Trump’s Legal Team Vows To Keep Fighting
Trump’s legal team responded forcefully to Friday’s decision.
His representatives maintain that the Supreme Court’s presidential immunity ruling, constitutional protections and other legal precedent support transferring the case to federal court and ultimately overturning the conviction.
Trump’s attorneys also argue that the latest ruling fails to properly account for the issues previously raised by the federal appeals court.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined to comment on Friday’s decision.
Trump’s team, meanwhile, made clear that another appeal is coming.
What Happens Next?
The next major battle will once again involve the federal appeals court.
Trump’s attorneys are asking the 2nd Circuit to overturn Hellerstein’s decision and allow their effort to move the case into federal court to continue.
At the same time, Trump’s separate challenge to the underlying conviction remains active in New York.
That means Friday’s ruling is a setback — but not necessarily the final word.
The larger question remains unresolved: Will Trump’s 34-count conviction survive the full appeals process, or will his attorneys eventually persuade a higher court to overturn it?
For now, the conviction remains in place.
But with Trump’s attorneys already launching their next challenge, one of the most closely watched legal battles involving a sitting American president is far from over.