A federal judge again rejected Trump’s attempt to transfer his New York hush money case.
Why it matters: The ruling keeps one of Trump’s highest-profile criminal cases in New York state court. It is a procedural defeat, but it preserves the posture of the case as Trump keeps fighting his conviction on appeal.
- U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein denied the request on Aug. 28, 2026.
- It was the third time Hellerstein blocked Trump from moving the case to federal court.
- Trump was convicted in May 2024 of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records tied to a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels.
- Trump’s legal team said it will appeal the ruling.
U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein on Aug. 28, 2026 denied Donald Trump’s latest bid to move his New York hush money criminal case from state court to federal court, according to AP.
Hellerstein said Trump’s reasons for renewing the request were "neither new nor legally sufficient" and that he had failed to show good cause and diligence. Reuters reported that the judge found the case involved Trump’s personal conduct, not official acts, and said paying hush money or covering up embarrassment is not protected by presidential immunity.
The ruling was the third time Hellerstein blocked Trump from trying to transfer the case to federal court. A federal appeals court had ordered him to take another look after the Supreme Court’s 2024 immunity ruling.
ABC News reported that Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records tied to a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels. The case was brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in New York, and Trump has continued to challenge the conviction in both federal and state appellate courts.
Trump’s legal team said he would appeal, calling the fight part of a broader effort to defeat what it described as "Democrat weaponization."
By the numbers
- 3 - Times Hellerstein blocked Trump from moving the case to federal court
- 34 - Felony counts of falsifying business records in Trump’s conviction
- $130,000 - Payment tied to Stormy Daniels
Yes, but: The ruling does not revisit the underlying conviction itself; it only keeps the case in state court.
What's next: Trump said he will appeal the federal ruling while continuing to pursue state appellate review.