Former President Donald Trump will take part in an unprecedented virtual probation interview alongside his attorney Todd Blanche at his Mar-a-Lago home on Monday, NBC News reported Sunday.

The interview stems from his hush-money case, in which a Manhattan jury convicted him on all 34 felony counts. The court requires the probation interview as part of the former president’s pre-sentencing report.

Judge Juan Merchan, presiding over the hush money case, allowed Blanche to attend the probation interview. Prosecutors did not object. The Trump defense team is expected to provide their sentencing recommendation on June 13.

Trump’s sentencing is scheduled for July 11 — only four days before the Republican National Convention on July 15.

Martin Horn, the former commissioner of the New York City Department of Corrections and Probation, told NBC News that “it is highly unusual for a pre-sentence investigation interview to be conducted over Zoom.” He also added that an in-person visit by Trump to the New York City probation office would be “very disruptive.”

“But you can argue,” he continued, “that Trump’s appearance at the probation office on the 10th floor of the Criminal Court Building in Manhattan where his trial took place, with Secret Service and press following him, would be very disruptive to the probation office and unfair to other defendants who might not want to be identified. So in the end, this might be better for the probation officer.”

According to Horn, the typical purpose of a probation interview is to ascertain information about a person’s social or criminal history, financial resources, living situation, physical condition, addiction issues, and mental health.

Trump may also be asked if he is associating with anyone with a criminal record because he cannot associate with them if he is placed on probation. The probation officer may also interview others in Trump’s home. Due to the unprecedented nature of delivering felony charges to a former president, the probation officer may also conduct follow-up interviews. However, such a matter is usually dealt with in one session. Upon finishing, the probation officer will write a report and deliver it to Merchan.

Duncan Levin, a former Manhattan prosecutor turned defense attorney, stated that the prosecution is likely to request a jail sentence.

Trump currently faces a sentencing ranging from probation to four years in prison.

Levin said Blanche, Trump’s lawyer, will be present to prevent any questions that could put his client in legal jeopardy.

“It is unlikely to move the needle because the judge knows so much about his background,” Levin stated, speaking on the probation hearing.

Levin also noted Merchan’s gag order against Trump, which he says the president defied, by commenting on Merchan’s daughter’s direct ties to a consulting firm that heavily advises Democratic clients.

“To the extent,” Levin said, “that an E felony,” the least severe of all felonies in New York, “is punishable by jail, this case screams out for jail time, he has shown no remorse and has been held in contempt 10 times, but the judge warned him if he breaks the gag order, ‘I will send you to jail’ and then he did it again several times. And subverting the election process is as serious a records violation as has ever come through the New York courts.”

Trump campaign adviser Steven Cheung provided a statement to Newsmax calling the multitude of trials Trump faces “witch-hunts” aimed at knocking off the presumptive Republican nominee.

“President Trump has established a commanding polling lead in the battleground states and Crooked Joe Biden is on the ropes. His Democrat party allies know it, so they continue to ramp up their ongoing Witch-Hunts, further abusing and misusing the power of their offices to interfere in the presidential election. President Trump and his legal team are already taking necessary steps to challenge and defeat the lawless Manhattan DA case. The American People will not fall for the Biden-directed Hoaxes and will hold Crooked Joe and his comrades to account this fall.”

© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.