10 January 2025 , 20:26
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Donald Trump has avoided jail time and penalties in his hush money case sentencing but remains the first felon US president-elect.
New York Judge Juan Merchan on Friday morning sentenced Trump to unconditional discharge for his conviction on 34 charges of falsifying business records linked to a 2016 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.
‘The only lawful sentence that permits entry of a judgment or conviction without encroaching upon the highest office of the land is an unconditional discharge,’ said Merchan.
‘Sir, I wish you godspeed as you assume your second term in office.’
Trump, who appeared virtually from Florida, did not react as Merchan concluded the hearing.
‘This has been a truly extraordinary case,’ said Merchan.
‘Never before has this court been presented with such a unique and remarkable set of circumstances.’
Trump received the lenient sentence 10 days before Inauguration Day.
Merchan noted that the powers of the presidency cannot ‘erase a jury verdict’.
Trump and his lawyer, Todd Blanche, appeared on a screen around 9.30am. Trump wore a dark suit over a white dress shirt and red and white striped tie and sat in front of an American flag.
They smiled as they waited for the proceeding to begin.
Trump started his statement by saying that the case ‘has been a very terrible experience’.
‘I think it’s been a setback for New York and the New York court system,’ he said. This is a case that Alvin Bragg did not want to bring.’
He reiterated that it has been a ‘political witch hunt’ and ‘done to damage my reputation’.
‘The fact is, I’m totally innocent,’ said Trump. ‘I did nothing wrong.’
Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass recommended a sentence of unconditional discharge.
‘Your honor indicated an inclination to impose an unconditional discharge under all the circumstances of this case, this unique posture and the defendant’s status as president elect, the people recommend a sentence of unconditional discharge,’ he said.
The proceeding was not permitted to be broadcast by the media, but the court released audio of it shortly after it concluded.
Trump’s legal team managed to delay the sentencing, which was scheduled for July. But the Supreme Court late Thursday denied Trump’s emergency request to further postpone the sentencing.
After his sentencing, Trump blasted the case on Truth Social, calling it a ‘despicable charade’ and vowing that ‘now that it is over, we will appeal this Hoax’.
‘THERE IS NO CASE, THERE WAS NEVER A CASE, and this whole Scam fully deserves to be DISMISSED,’ he wrote.
‘The real Jury, the American People, have spoken, by Re-Electing me with an overwhelming MANDATE in one of the most consequential Elections in History.’