Donald Trump receives no-penalty sentence for hush money to porn star, what is unconditional discharge

Trump, who appeared virtually for the sentencing, has been given an unconditional charge, meaning he will not face jail time, probation or a fine. The sentencing comes just 10 days before his inauguration, making Trump the first person convicted of a felony to assume the presidency.

Dressed in a dark suit, Trump participated in the hearing via video from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, accompanied by his lawyer, Todd Blanche, who is set to become the second-highest-ranking Justice Department official in his incoming administration.

Trump said of his conviction: “It was done to damage my reputation so I would lose the election. This has been a political witch hunt. I am totally innocent. I did nothing wrong.” He also said he was “treated unfairly” before sarcastically saying: “and I thank you very much.”

The case revolves around a $130,000 payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Daniels alleges that the payment was intended to silence her about a sexual encounter with Trump that she claims occurred a decade earlier. Trump has consistently denied the affair, asserting, “Nothing sexual happened,” and labelling the case a politically motivated attack by his adversaries.

The payment was facilitated through Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, who testified that he made the payment at Trump’s direction. Prosecutors alleged that Trump falsified business records to conceal the payment, disguising it as legal expenses reimbursed to Cohen.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, brought the charges against Trump, making this the only one of his four criminal indictments to reach trial.

Judge Juan M Merchan indicated he would impose an unconditional discharge, a no-penalty sentence that is rare in felony cases. This means Trump will face no jail time, probation, or fines. The judge’s decision is partly aimed at avoiding constitutional issues that could arise if penalties overlapped with Trump’s presidency.

During the proceeding, Trump was given an opportunity to speak. He has fiercely criticised the case, calling it a “fake, made-up charge” on his Truth Social platform last week. “I never falsified business records,” Trump wrote.

The hearing attracted a small but vocal crowd outside the Manhattan courtroom, with supporters and critics holding opposing banners. One read, “Trump is guilty,” while another countered with, “Stop partisan conspiracy” and “Stop political witch hunt.”