So, the internet is basically on fire with people shouting that the 34 felonies are gone. You've probably seen the headlines. "Appeal won!" "Conviction overturned!" It’s a mess of conflicting reports, and honestly, if you're confused, you’re in good company. Legal jargon is designed to be a headache.
Here is the deal. Donald Trump’s legal team has been throwing everything but the kitchen sink at the New York court system. They’ve had some major procedural wins recently, specifically in the federal appeals circuit, but saying the whole case is "won" is kinda like saying you won the Super Bowl because you got a first down in the first quarter.
It's complicated.
The Reality of the Appeal Win
In late 2025 and moving into early 2026, a federal appeals court—the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals—actually handed Trump a significant victory. But it wasn't a total "get out of jail free" card. What the court did was tell a lower federal judge, Alvin Hellerstein, that he messed up.
Hellerstein had previously blocked Trump from moving the hush money case into federal court. The appeals court stepped in and said, "Wait a minute, you didn't look closely enough at the presidential immunity stuff."
That’s the "win" everyone is buzzing about. It effectively revived the chance for Trump to get the 34 felony counts moved out of the New York state system and into the federal system. Why does that matter? Simple. In federal court, his team can argue that much of the evidence used to convict him was "official acts" from his first term, which the Supreme Court says are off-limits.
💡 You might also like: Why a Man Hits Girl for Bullying Incidents Go Viral and What They Reveal About Our Breaking Point
Basically, the 34 felonies aren't erased yet. They are just in a high-stakes legal limbo.
Why the Conviction is Still There (For Now)
Despite the noisy celebrations on social media, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, led by Alvin Bragg, still considers this a closed trial with a standing verdict. Trump was sentenced on January 10, 2025, to an "unconditional discharge."
No jail. No probation. Just a felony record.
Because he's currently sitting in the Oval Office (again), the logistical nightmare of trying to sentence a president to a New York jail cell was something Judge Juan Merchan clearly wanted to avoid. But an unconditional discharge doesn't mean the felonies vanished. It just means there’s no active punishment attached to them right now.
To actually "win" the appeal and clear his name, one of two things has to happen:
📖 Related: Why are US flags at half staff today and who actually makes that call?
- The New York state appeals court has to decide the trial was unfair and throw out the verdict.
- The federal courts have to take over the case and rule that the conviction violated his presidential immunity.
The Immunity Wildcard
The Supreme Court’s 2024 ruling on immunity changed the game. It’s the reason this appeal is even moving. Trump’s lawyers, led by Todd Blanche (who is now in a top DOJ spot, fun fact), argue that the jury should never have heard from people like Hope Hicks or seen tweets Trump sent while he was President.
They call it "evidentiary immunity."
If a federal judge eventually agrees that the New York trial was "tainted" by this evidence, the 34 felonies could be vacated. That would be a massive, total win. But right now? The courts are still arguing about who gets to argue about it.
The Manhattan DA’s office is fighting back hard. They say the hush money was a personal, "unofficial" act to help a campaign, not a presidential duty. They think the conviction should stand because the crime happened before he even took office in 2017, even if some of the paperwork was signed later.
What People Get Wrong About the 34 Counts
People keep saying the "appeal won" means the records are wiped. Not quite. If you go to the courthouse in Lower Manhattan today, those 34 counts of falsifying business records are still on the books.
👉 See also: Elecciones en Honduras 2025: ¿Quién va ganando realmente según los últimos datos?
There’s also a common misconception that the win in the civil fraud case—the one with the massive $454 million fine—is the same thing as the felony appeal. It’s not. Trump did win a huge reduction in that civil fine, but that’s a different pile of legal documents.
Mixing these up is easy because there are so many cases. You've got the E. Jean Carroll stuff, the Georgia election case, and the federal documents case that Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed. It’s a lot to track.
The Real Stakes for 2026
If the federal court takes the case, it’s a huge blow to Alvin Bragg. It would likely lead to a dismissal because federal law is much more protective of a sitting president than New York state law.
But if the state appeals court keeps the case? They might just uphold the conviction. They’ve been pretty consistent in backing Judge Merchan so far.
Honestly, the "win" we are seeing right now is a win of momentum. It has delayed everything. It has created a pathway for the Supreme Court to eventually step in and end the whole thing. For a man who has made "delay" his primary legal strategy for forty years, this is exactly where he wants to be.
Actionable Steps: How to Follow the Final Ruling
If you want to know when the actual final decision drops, you need to watch for specific triggers. Don't just trust a viral tweet.
- Monitor the 2nd Circuit Docket: This is where the federal "removal" battle is happening. If they rule that the case belongs in federal court, the conviction is effectively on life support.
- Check for the NY Appellate Division, First Department rulings: This is the state-level appeal. If they release a decision, it will directly address the "guilty" verdict.
- Watch the DOJ’s stance: Since Trump’s former defense attorneys are now working in the Justice Department, the federal government’s official position on these cases has shifted 180 degrees.
- Search for "Evidentiary Immunity": This is the specific legal term that will determine if the 34 counts stay or go. If the courts find the evidence was "tainted," a new trial or dismissal is almost certain.
The 34 felonies appeal isn't over. It’s just moved into a much more favorable arena for the President. We are likely months away from a final "vacated" or "upheld" order, but the legal shield of the presidency is proving to be a very tough nut for New York prosecutors to crack.