A New York judge recently denied US President-elect Donald Trump's request to have his conviction for covering up hush money payments to a porn star thrown out on the grounds of presidential immunity. Judge Juan Merchan ruled that the immunity typically granted to presidents for official actions does not apply to the conduct involved in this case, which he deemed as "unofficial." This ruling keeps Trump's felony conviction intact, despite his legal team's attempt to use a Supreme Court decision granting presidents immunity for official acts as justification.

The case centers around Trump’s payment to a porn star in 2016 and his subsequent efforts to cover up the transaction to influence the outcome of the election. This ruling opens the possibility of Trump entering the White House with a felony conviction if his appeal is unsuccessful. The legal battle is ongoing, with Trump's legal team continuing to argue against the conviction, while prosecutors contend that the case is unrelated to presidential duties and does not fall under immunity protections.