Donald Trump concluded his hush money trial without facing additional criminal penalties, despite being a convicted felon. The New York court, led by Judge Juan Merchan, opted for an “unconditional discharge,” allowing Trump to avoid prison time. He plans to appeal the verdict, maintaining his innocence and condemning the trial as a political maneuver. The conviction, resulting from falsifying business records related to a payment to Stormy Daniels, holds symbolic significance despite lacking immediate consequences.
Donald Trump Escapes Additional Punishment in Hush Money Trial
In a landmark decision, the New York hush money trial concluded without imposing any further criminal penalties on Donald Trump, the former President of the United States. Despite this ruling, Trump remains a convicted felon, and he has expressed his intention to appeal the verdict.
Just days before his next inauguration, a New York court reaffirmed Trump’s status as a convicted felon. During the sentencing phase of the hush money trial, Judge Juan Merchan opted not to impose any additional consequences, such as prison time or fines. Following the announcement, Trump took to Truth Social, a platform he co-founded, to declare his plans to appeal the ruling.
Details of Trump’s Conviction and Sentencing
The court’s decision resulted in an “unconditional discharge,” meaning Trump will not face imprisonment or probation. This unprecedented situation marks him as the first convicted felon to assume the presidency on January 20. Trump’s legal team made extensive efforts to delay the sentencing announcement, but their requests were ultimately denied by the US Supreme Court.
Trump was not physically present in the courtroom for the sentencing; instead, he attended remotely from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, accompanied by his lawyer, Todd Blanche. During this session, he maintained his innocence, labeling the trial a “political witch hunt” designed to tarnish his reputation and influence the election outcome. He referred to the entire process as “an embarrassment for New York” and described his conviction as a “very terrible experience.”
Judge Merchan emphasized that he had to weigh all aggravating factors before announcing the sentence, acknowledging that the legal protections afforded to Trump as President were a significant consideration. However, these protections did not alter the jury’s verdict, resulting in the decision for an unconditional discharge to minimize the impact on the presidency. After the sentencing, Merchan wished Trump “good luck for your second term.”
In response, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass criticized Trump’s ongoing campaign to undermine the legitimacy of the justice system, asserting that instead of remorse, Trump has shown “provoked contempt” for both the jury’s verdict and the criminal justice process.
While the nature of this conviction does not entail immediate repercussions like imprisonment or fines, it does establish legal guilt as determined by the jury. This ruling, while lacking immediate consequences, carries symbolic weight.
Judge Merchan had previously indicated that releasing Trump without conditions was “the most viable option” in this case. Originally slated for announcement on July 11, the sentencing date was delayed twice at the request of Trump’s attorneys.
It’s important to note that Trump cannot pardon himself. If he regains the presidency, he may grant federal pardons, but any state-level convictions, such as this one in New York, would require a pardon from the governor, who is currently Kathy Hochul, a Democrat.
In May, Trump was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records in a Manhattan court related to a $130,000 payment made in 2016 through his former lawyer, Michael Cohen. This payment was designed to prevent adult film star Stormy Daniels from disclosing her claims of a past encounter with Trump.
This important legal development was reported by tagesschau on January 10, 2025, at 5:00 PM.