United States President-elect Donald Trump made history on Friday as the first person with a felony conviction to ascend to the presidency.
This development followed his sentencing by New York Judge Juan Merchan, who issued an unconditional discharge for Trump’s role in concealing hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
Trump’s May 2024 conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records could have led to prison time or fines. However, Judge Merchan opted for the lightest criminal sanction available, citing the unprecedented nature of the case.
“Never before has this court been presented with such a unique and remarkable set of circumstances,” Merchan stated. “The only lawful sentence that permits entry of a judgment of conviction without encroaching on the highest office of the land is an unconditional discharge.”
The sentencing took place in a packed Manhattan courtroom, following a trial punctuated by intense legal wrangling and Trump’s frequent public denunciations. Trump, attending virtually, appeared in front of two U.S. flags, wearing a red tie with white stripes, visibly impatient as he watched the proceedings.
“This has been a terrible experience. I think it’s been a tremendous setback for New York and the New York court system,” Trump said before the sentence was announced. “It was done to damage my reputation so I would lose the election.”
Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass condemned Trump’s actions, describing them as part of a deliberate scheme to deceive. “The verdict in this case was unanimous and decisive, and it must be respected,” Steinglass said. He accused Trump of engaging in “premeditated and continuous deception” to suppress damaging revelations during his 2016 presidential campaign.
Trump’s legal team sought to delay the sentencing, but the New York State appeals court rejected their request, and the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the proceedings to move forward. Prosecutors argued against any postponement, highlighting Trump’s ongoing opportunities for appeal within the state system.
The unconditional discharge upheld the jury’s guilty verdict while sparing Trump from jail time or financial penalties. Legal analysts emphasised the historic significance of the decision. “He’s thumbing his nose at the judge, the jury, and the justice system,” said Bennett Gershman, a former prosecutor and legal scholar, ahead of the sentencing.
Outside the courthouse, Trump’s supporters braved strong winds to wave a banner bearing his name, while opponents held signs declaring, “Trump is guilty.”
The ruling comes just ten days before Trump’s scheduled inauguration for a second term, which was officially certified earlier this week. The conviction adds a controversial chapter to Trump’s presidency, occurring four years after the Capitol insurrection, which aimed to overturn his 2020 election defeat.
Prosecutor Steinglass also criticised Trump’s public rhetoric, describing it as harmful to the judicial process. “This defendant has caused enduring damage to public perception of the criminal justice system,” he said.
While Trump avoided harsher penalties, his conviction marks a turning point in U.S. history, solidifying his status as the first president-elect with a felony conviction.
