Hush money case: Donald Trump sentenced to unconditional discharge – Times of India

President-elect Donald Trump on Friday was sentenced to unconditional discharge in connection to his hush-money conviction, just 10 days before his inauguration.
He will become the first individual convicted of a felony to assume the presidency. The president-elect was Appearing virtually from his Florida club, Trump faced sentencing after the Supreme Court declined to intervene.
The case stemmed from accusations that he falsified business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels, who claims to have had an affair with Trump in 2006, a claim he denies, calling the prosecution politically motivated.

What happened during the sentencing

During the sentencing, Trump maintained his innocence during his sentencing hearing, stating, “The fact is I’m totally innocent. I did nothing wrong.”
Trump then discussed his 2024 election victory, claiming he won the popular vote by “millions and millions of votes” and secured all seven swing states, adding, “They’ve been watching your trial, so they understood it,” referring to the voters.
He also argued that legal fees were recorded by accountants as legal expenses, not by him personally. “Legal fees were put down as legal expenses by accountants; they weren’t put down by me,” Trump said. “It’s incredible, actually.”
Referring to the charges against him, Trump called the case “a political witch hunt” intended to damage his reputation.
The probation officer who interviewed Donald Trump for his probation report stated that the former president believed he was “above the law,” according to prosecutor Joshua Steinglass.
Steinglass also referred to Judge Juan Merchan’s previous remarks, describing Trump’s behaviour as “a direct attack on the rule of law itself,” adding that “this defendant has caused enduring damage to the public perception of the criminal justice system.”
The prosecutor told the court that Trump had shown no remorse for his actions and had continued to “encourage others to reject the jury’s verdict.” He criticised Trump for being “unrelenting in his unsubstantiated attacks” on the court, prosecutors, and the jury.
Steinglass summarised the case, stating, “The jury’s verdict in this case was unanimous and decisive, and it must be respected.” He also noted that the felonies Trump was convicted of could lead to either a prison sentence or other forms of punishment, including no jail time. The prosecution recommended a sentence of unconditional discharge, with Steinglass emphasising that Judge Merchan had previously indicated an inclination to impose this sentence in light of the unique circumstances of the case, including Trump’s status as president-elect.

What was the case?

The charges stemmed from a $130,000 hush-money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. Daniels alleged a sexual encounter with Trump, which he denied.
Judge Juan Merchan upheld the jury’s verdict earlier this month, rejecting Trump’s argument that his November 2024 re-election warranted dismissal of the case. Prosecutors accused Trump of participating in an illegal conspiracy to undermine the election by reimbursing his then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, for the payment and falsely categorising it as legal expenses.
While the offence carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison, Trump’s status as a first-time offender on these charges meant jail time was unlikely. Trump, who pleaded not guilty, had previously labelled the case a politically motivated attack by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
The sentencing marks the culmination of a lengthy legal battle. Trump’s efforts to dismiss the charges, citing Supreme Court decisions and claims of prosecutorial bias, were unsuccessful.

Timeline of Trump’s indictment and trial: