New York, New York - Donald Trump and his legal team have filed a request that the scheduled sentencing in his hush money criminal trial be delayed until after the elections.

In a letter sent on Wednesday to Judge Juan Merchan, who has been overseeing the trial, Trump's attorneys argued that sentencing the Republican presidential candidate before election day on November 5 would amount to election interference.

"By adjourning the sentencing until after that election – which is of paramount importance to the entire Nation... the Court would reduce, even if not eliminate, issues regarding the integrity of any future proceedings," the attorneys wrote.

"There is no basis for continuing to rush," they added.

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In May, a jury convicted the former president of 34 felonies for covering up payments to silence porn star Stormy Daniels over an alleged affair.

The latest request for a delay comes after Judge Merchan dismissed a request from Trump's team for him to step down from the case earlier this week.

On September 16, the judge will consider a separate request by Trump's lawyers to overturn the verdict and dismiss the case following a July Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity.

Unless Judge Merchan decides to grant the request, Trump is scheduled to return to the Manhattan courtroom for his sentencing on September 18.