A federal judge has once again denied President Donald Trump’s attempts to move his criminal case in New York to federal court, dealing a significant blow to his ongoing legal strategy.

This latest setback occurred on Friday, when U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein rejected Trump’s request to shift the case regarding alleged hush money payments out of state court, where it was tried and where he was convicted.

Trump’s conviction stems from 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels just prior to the 2016 presidential election.

The payment was reportedly intended to prevent Daniels from publicly discussing her claims of an affair with Trump, which he has consistently denied.

Judge Hellerstein ruled that Trump’s latest legal maneuver was both untimely and insufficient to warrant a change, emphasizing that presidential immunity does not apply to such actions.

“The grounds for a second removal cited by Defendant, Donald J. Trump, are neither new nor legally sufficient. He has failed to show good cause and diligence,” Hellerstein stated in his ruling.

After the ruling, Trump’s team wasted no time in appealing to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, indicating their dissatisfaction with the outcome.

This legal strategy is a crucial aspect of Trump’s attempt to overturn what is currently the only criminal conviction he has faced that reached trial.

Trump’s attorneys are banking on a recent Supreme Court ruling, which they argue strengthens their case for presidential immunity under certain circumstances.

However, Judge Hellerstein dismissed this argument, stating clearly that “paying hush money to an adult film star or engaging in a cover-up of an embarrassment are not subsumed in presidential immunity.”

This ruling marks at least the third time that Trump has attempted to transfer the case to federal court, all of which have been denied by Hellerstein.

Trump’s legal team has consistently argued that his actions were taken “under color” of his federal office, a claim that has not found favor with the courts thus far.

Adding to the drama surrounding the case, Michael Cohen, Trump’s former attorney who facilitated the payment to Daniels, recently softened his stance toward Trump.

Cohen had been a key witness for the prosecution and an outspoken critic of Trump; however, he now claims to have been coerced into providing testimony.

Despite Cohen’s changing relationship with Trump, the basis for the conviction remains intact, further complicating Trump’s legal challenges.

As it stands, Trump is still appealing his conviction in New York state courts, while simultaneously attempting to shift the battle to the federal arena.

While his legal team has labeled the prosecution as a politically motivated “Witch Hunt,” they face an uphill battle in the courts.

A spokesperson for Trump’s legal team declared, “The Supreme Court’s historic decision on Immunity, the Federal and New York State Constitutions, and other established legal precedent mandate that the Witch Hunt perpetrated by the Manhattan DA be removed to federal court, and immediately overturned and dismissed.”

Despite their claims of success in other courts, the reality of Hellerstein’s ruling now looms large over Trump’s efforts.

With this latest decision, Trump’s conviction remains firm as he contemplates his next moves both legally and politically.

As Trump continues to campaign for a return to the presidency, the outcome of this saga is likely to influence not only his legal fate but also his political future.