Trump Sentenced In His New York Felony Conviction in A Historic First.

President-elect Donald Trump received on an unconditional discharge for his criminal conviction in New York on Friday, meaning he will not face fines, prison, or any other penalties.

The former and future president appeared virtually in a Manhattan courtroom on Friday for his sentencing on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal a payment to an adult film star.

During the brief hearing, New York state Judge Juan Merchan said the only lawful sentence that does not encroach on the office of the president is that of an unconditional discharge on all 34 counts.

The 2024 election results loomed over the hearing, with Trump just 10 days away from being sworn into the oval office for a second term. Trump had argued the sentencing would interfere with his ability to govern.

This was the first time that a former, future or sitting U.S. president has been tried on criminal charges. And this was the only one of Trump’s criminal cases to see trial. 

“Trial was a paradox,” Merchan said, noting the high level of security and media attention. But “once doors closed, it was no more unique than the other 32 trials taking place in this courthouse at the same exact time.”

But while the trial could be seen as ordinary, Merchan said, the same cannot be said about the circumstances surrounding the sentencing because Trump is about to occupy the office of the president.

“Sir, I wish you godspeed as you assume the office of the president,” Merchan said before leaving the bench.

Trump on Thursday exhausted his last legal maneuver to stop the sentencing, after a narrow majority of Supreme Court justices declined to intervene.

Right before being formally sentenced, Merchan offered Trump the opportunity to speak. During his remarks, Trump doubled down on his defense — the business records were legal expenses, not hush-money payments, and recorded by accountants, not by him.

“I would just like to explain that I was treated very, very unfairly,” Trump said, after reiterating the false claim that the trial is politically motivated, and arguing that he is innocent despite the jury conviction.

An “unconditional discharge” means the president-elect must do nothing, but the conviction will remain on his record. Trump has already said he plans to appeal.

“There’s nothing else that the defendant has to do, and therefore it’s the least restrictive in terms of how it could impede in any way on the president-elect as he takes office,” Anna Cominsky, director of the criminal defense clinic at New York Law School, said ahead of the expected sentence of an unconditional discharge.

“It certainly makes sense that there be some finality to this case because as a nation, we should want to move on, in particular as he assumes the role of president, and be able to look forward to the next four years without this sentence pending,” Cominsky said. “There has to be an end.”

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