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12-01-2025
NEW YORK: A judge has sentenced US President-elect Donald Trump to an “unconditional discharge,” bringing to an end the first criminal trial of a former US president.
The sentence in the hush-money payment case means the incoming president has been spared any penalty, including jail time or a fine, but he will still take office as the first US president with a felony conviction.
“Never before has this court been presented with such a unique and remarkable set of circumstances,” Justice Juan Merchan said shortly before announcing the sentence, calling it a “truly extraordinary case”.
Appearing via video call from Florida and flanked by his attorney and two prominent American flags, Trump declared he was “totally innocent”.
It was the first time in this year-and-half long legal saga that Trump had uttered more than a “not guilty” or given a brief affirmative answer.
Granted the chance to speak ahead of his sentencing, Trump railed against the case for several minutes.
“This has been a very terrible experience,” he said.
He claimed there had been a “weaponisation” of the judicial system and claimed the case was brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for political reasons.
“I would like to explain that I was treated very, very unfairly, and I thank you very much,” he said, before falling silent.
As Bragg watched Trump address him directly for the first time, he maintained a mostly stoic expression. He did, however, chuckle when Trump claimed Bragg had never wanted to bring the case.
After Trump had his say, Justice Merchan then took several moments to reflect on the “paradox” of the trial?
Justice Merchan noted that despite the media and political circus outside, “once the courtroom doors were closed, it was no more unique than all the other cases taking place at the same time” but he added that after Trump was convicted, the case took another turn when the American people elected him in November to a second presidential term.
After careful consideration, he had determined that “the only lawful sentence, without encroaching upon the highest office of the land”, was unconditional discharge, a sentence that would allow the American people a president unencumbered by pending court proceedings.
The end of a historic trial
Trump was found guilty by a New York jury of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in May 2024. His sentencing was delayed multiple times due to Supreme Court rulings and the November presidential election.
The charges stemmed from a plot to cover up a hush-money payment to an adult film star in the waning days of the 2016 election. Prosecutors argued the payment was a form of election interference aimed at keeping vital information from voters, and therefore broke the law.
In October 2016, Trump’s then-attorney, Michael Cohen, paid a woman named Stormy Daniels $130,000 (£106,000) to remain silent about a years-old alleged sexual encounter with the soon-to-be president.
After he was elected, Trump reimbursed Cohen in installments and then falsely recorded them as legal expenses. Each of Trump’s guilty verdicts correlates to a false document related to the cover-up.
Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges and denied the sexual encounter with Daniels. He repeatedly claimed the case was politically motivated persecution. (Int’l News Desk)
