President-elect Donald Trump received no punishment in the historic hush money case against him, allowing him to take office unencumbered by legal penalties. Appearing via video from his Florida estate, Trump was sentenced to an unconditional discharge, a rare outcome for felony convictions. Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan opted for the no-penalty sentence, citing respect for Trump’s upcoming presidential legal protections, while affirming the jury’s guilty verdict on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
This case signifies the inaugural criminal conviction of a former U.S. president and a current presidential candidate, occurring merely 10 days prior to Trump’s second-term inauguration. Speaking for about six minutes, Trump condemned the case as a “weaponization of government” and insisted on his innocence, claiming it was a politically driven attempt to tarnish his reputation.
“It has been a political witch hunt, and it failed,” he said, emphasizing intentions to contest the conviction.
Prosecutors charged Trump with altering business documents to hide a $130,000 payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign. Daniels claimed the payment was meant to keep her quiet regarding a previous sexual encounter with Trump, which he refutes. Trump’s defense contended that the payment was intended to shield his family, rather than his political ambitions, and claimed the reimbursement was correctly categorized as a legal expenditure.
Even with the conviction, Trump’s backing from voters stayed robust, resulting in his re-election in November.Prosecutors, who supported the no-penalty sentence, criticized Trump’s repeated attacks on the legal system, with prosecutor Joshua Steinglass warning of the damage to its legitimacy.
The judge’s decision sidestepped constitutional issues while ensuring Trump will become the first president to take office with a felony conviction. “Despite the extraordinary breadth of presidential protections, they do not erase a jury verdict,” Merchan remarked, wishing Trump “godspeed” for his second term.
The sentencing concludes an extraordinary case that aired sordid allegations of a scheme to bury affair accusations. Trump, however, has remained defiant, calling the proceeding a “despicable charade” on his social media platform.
Trump’s defense team, including attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, unsuccessfully sought to delay the sentencing, with a last-minute Supreme Court appeal failing in a 5-4 decision. Meanwhile, other criminal cases against Trump have stalled or concluded. Federal prosecutors dismissed cases related to classified documents and Trump’s attempts to reverse the 2020 election results. A Georgia election interference case remains uncertain after the removal of the lead prosecutor.
Following the hearing, Trump resumed preparations for his new administration, hosting conservative lawmakers to discuss GOP priorities.