Donald Trump’s sentence in ‘extraordinary’ hush money case revealed
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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.
![[US President-elect Donald Trump is seen on the screen at Manhattan criminal court in New York, US, on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. JEENAH MOON/Pool via REUTERS]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEI_235555388-c8fe.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
‘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.’. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video.
![[Trump sentenced to unconditional discharge in hush money case]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEI_235555941-7561.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Up Next. Trump, who appeared virtually from Florida, did not react as Merchan concluded the hearing. ‘This has been a truly extraordinary case,’ said Merchan. An unconditional discharge sentence means an individual in the case will not face jail time, probation or fines, but the conviction will stay on their legal record.
It is imposed ‘without imprisonment, fine or probation supervision’, according to New York state law. The sentence is appropriate when a judge ‘is of the opinion that no proper purpose would be served by imposing any condition upon the defendant’s release’, reads state law.
