Republican Senators Say Judge Should Not Sentence Trump to Prison

Former President Donald Trump was convicted of falsifying business records.

Judge Juan M. Merchan poses in his chambers in New York on March 14, 2024. Seth Wenig/AP Photo

Republicans in Congress are warning a New York judge not to sentence former President Donald Trump to time in prison.

Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) told The Hill that it would be “foolish” for New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan to hand down a term of imprisonment, but added that based on the judge’s actions during the trial, “I would put nothing past him at this point.”