Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office announced Tuesday that it would not oppose pausing the criminal proceedings against President-elect Donald J. Trump, including his sentencing, until after he leaves the White House in 2029.
The decision marks a significant shift in the high-profile legal battle that has entangled Trump for the past couple of years. Prosecutors, who had previously pursued Trump with fervor, now appear to be stepping back—at least temporarily—amid the reality of his electoral victory and the constitutional complexities surrounding prosecuting a sitting president.
In a letter to Judge Juan Merchan, lawyers for the district attorney’s office clarified their stance: while they oppose Trump’s effort to dismiss his criminal conviction outright, they do not object to delaying sentencing and other proceedings until his second term concludes. Trump’s sentencing had been rescheduled for November 26, but the latest developments indicate that date will likely be deferred.
The district attorney’s office proposed December 9 as the deadline for their upcoming filing, which will consider the possibility of dismissing the case. Merchan was slated to decide on Tuesday whether a Supreme Court ruling grants Trump immunity from prosecution in this trial.
