Donald Trump, the President-elect of the US, was sentenced on Friday, January 10, 2025, in the hush money case. However, the judge chose not to impose any punishment, allowing Trump to return to the White House without the burden of jail time or fines.
This unusual ruling concludes a historic case that made Trump the first former President and major presidential candidate to face criminal charges in court. It was the only one of four criminal cases against him to go to trial and may remain the only one.
Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan could have sentenced the 78-year-old Republican to up to four years in prison. Instead, he decided to avoid complex constitutional issues by issuing an unconditional discharge. This made Trump the first person convicted of a felony to take office as President.
Unlike his trial in 2024, where he appeared in person and addressed reporters, Trump joined Friday’s hearing virtually from his home in Palm Beach, Florida. Wearing a dark suit and seated next to his lawyer with an American flag in the background, Trump denied wrongdoing.
“This has been a political witch hunt designed to ruin my reputation and cost me the election, but it didn’t work,” he said. Calling the case a “weaponization of government” and an “embarrassment to New York,” Trump maintained his innocence.
After the hearing, Trump posted on social media, calling the proceedings a “despicable charade” and announcing plans to appeal his conviction.
The no-penalty sentence, which is rare for felony convictions, concludes a two-month trial where Trump was convicted on 34 counts. Despite the charges, including details of hush money payments to suppress affair allegations, voters re-elected him. Judge Merchan noted that Trump’s upcoming presidential term provided legal protections that outweighed other factors in sentencing. “These protections don’t erase a jury verdict,” the judge said.
Trump appeared relaxed during the hearing, which lasted about 30 minutes. He addressed the court briefly, calling the trial a “terrible experience” and reiterating his claim of innocence.
Prosecutors supported the no-penalty sentence but criticized Trump for undermining the legal system. Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass said Trump’s attacks on the court and its officers had “caused lasting harm” to public trust in justice.
The hush money case revolved around a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during Trump’s 2016 campaign to silence claims of an alleged affair, which Trump denies. Prosecutors argued the payment was part of a scheme to mislead voters, with reimbursements falsely recorded as legal expenses. Trump claimed he acted to protect his family, not his campaign.
Trump’s legal team unsuccessfully tried to dismiss the case and overturn the conviction. Since his May 2024 conviction, they argued presidential immunity and appealed to the Supreme Court, which declined to intervene in a 5-4 decision the night before sentencing.
Meanwhile, other criminal cases against Trump have stalled or been dismissed. Federal cases over classified documents and the 2020 election were closed after his re-election. In Georgia, a state-level election interference case was delayed after prosecutor Fani Willis was removed.
The sentencing, originally set for July 2024, had been postponed multiple times before being finalized on January 10, 2025. Outside the court, small groups of Trump supporters and critics gathered with banners reflecting their views on the case.
