New York, Jan 10 (EFE).- US President-elect Donald Trump was on Friday sentenced to “unconditional discharge,” meaning he is spared jail time and a fine, in a case involving hush-money payments during his 2016 campaign.
Trump has thus become the first US president to have a criminal conviction on his record in the case of payments paid to porn star Stormy Daniels to buy her silence over his extramarital affair.
Despite the conviction, Trump will not face prison time or any financial penalties. The ruling means he has no further obligations to the court, such as paying fines or attending periodic hearings.
Judge Merchan emphasized that while the case attracted significant public attention, it was procedurally “ordinary” and that he had no authority to overturn the jury’s verdict.
Trump, appearing via videoconference, declined to greet the judge and called the experience “horrible,” reiterating his stance: “I am completely innocent. I did nothing wrong,” according to reporters inside the courtroom.
In May 2024, a jury found Trump guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a payment to the adult film star before the 2016 election. The payment was intended to silence allegations of an extramarital affair during his campaign.
Trump’s legal team repeatedly sought to have the case dismissed, calling it a “witch hunt” and accusing the prosecution and judge of political persecution and election interference.
Trump’s appeals, which argued that he was protected by presidential immunity as the president-elect at the time of the ruling, were dismissed by both state and federal courts. His final appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court was rejected yesterday in a narrow 5-4 decision.
Outside the Manhattan courthouse, small groups of both ers and protesters gathered despite the cold January weather.
Pro-Trump demonstrators carried banners reading “Stop the Political Witch Hunt” and “Free Trump, Save America,” with some waving Israeli flags.
On the other side, anti-Trump protesters displayed signs that read “Trump Is Guilty,” along with smaller placards calling him a “fascist” and declaring “Presidents Are Not Kings.”
The jury’s verdict found him guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
Prosecutors allege Trump worked to falsely and illegally categorize reimbursements to his lawyer to cover up the payment. As in the other cases against him, Trump has always denied any wrongdoing. EFE
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