Federal Judge Rejects Trump's Latest Bid to Move Hush Money Case

In 2016, Donald Trump was accused of arranging a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. The payment was allegedly made to influence the outcome of the presidential election by keeping Daniels' claims about an affair private.

Prosecutors charged Trump with 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records. The charges stemmed from how the payments were documented, not the payment itself. Trump denied the allegations and fought the charges in state court.

After being convicted in New York state court, Trump and his legal team tried several times to have the case moved to federal court. He argued that the actions in question were related to his duties as president and that he should be protected by presidential immunity.

On August 28, 2026, a federal judge again denied Trump's request to transfer the case. According to The Hill, the judge ruled that Trump could not appeal the conviction in federal court and that the case would remain under state jurisdiction. CNBC reported that this was the third rejection in two years, with the judge finding that Trump's arguments were either too late or lacked legal strength.

Multiple outlets, including the Financial Times and Axios, noted that Trump's legal team had not presented new arguments and that the judge questioned the credibility of his defense. According to Reason, the timing of Trump's legal filings was also a key reason for the denial. The Court of Appeals had remanded the case for further consideration, but the outcome remained unchanged.

Other coverage, such as from ABC News and The New York Times, highlighted that the decision blocks Trump from easily appealing his conviction through the federal courts. The judge also rejected Trump's arguments about presidential immunity, stating that they do not apply in this situation.

Trump's conviction on 34 felony counts in the New York hush money case remains in place. His attempts to move the case to federal court have been denied multiple times, and the arguments about presidential immunity have not succeeded.

The decision is a significant legal setback for Trump as he faces continued challenges related to the case. The ruling also limits his legal options for appealing his conviction before the 2026 election.

With the denial of his federal court transfer request, Trump's next legal moves are uncertain. He could pursue further appeals within the New York state court system, but the federal route appears closed for now.

Observers will be watching to see how this ruling affects Trump's ongoing legal strategies and his campaign as the election draws closer.