Donald Trump to be sentenced over hush money conviction but spared punishment
In an explosive decision, a New York judge has vowed to carry on with sentencing Donald Trump over his hush money conviction, and revealed whether he would lock up the President-elect.
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Donald Trump is set to be sentenced over his New York hush money conviction just 10 days before he returns to the White House, in a stunning decision in which the President-elect’s bid for the case to be dismissed was slapped down.
But Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Juan Merchan revealed he did not intend to order Mr Trump to spend any time behind bars, acknowledging that was no longer a “practicable recommendation” and that he would escape without punishment.
Barring an appeal by the 78-year-old’s lawyers, it means Mr Trump will become the first felon to be sworn in as the president when he is inaugurated in Washington DC on January 20.
Mr Trump Trump dismissed the decision to sentence him before his inauguration as and “illegitimate political attack”.
“This illegitimate political attack is nothing but a Rigged Charade,” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social page.
In May last year, six months before the presidential election, the former president was convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $US130,000 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.
The jury in Mr Trump’s bombshell trial accepted the case presented by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office that he covered up the payment which he authorised to prevent Ms Daniels speaking about her claim that they had an affair on the eve of the 2016 election.
Mr Trump has always denied the porn star’s allegation.
The guilty verdict meant Mr Trump could have been sentenced to up to four years in prison, but Judge Merchan said on Friday (local time) that he was not intending to “impose any sentence of incarceration”.
Breaking: Justice Merchan orders Donald Trump be sentenced on Jan. 10, before his inauguration.
— Frank G. Runyeon (@frankrunyeon) January 3, 2025
A stunning decision following Trump's conviction on 34 felony counts by a Manhattan jury in the hush money case and Trump's reelection to the White House. pic.twitter.com/gknGaxAwDV
“A sentence of unconditional discharge appears to be the most viable solution to ensure finality and allow Defendant to pursue his appellate options,” he said, referring to a sentence that did not include any punishment.
In the wake of Mr Trump’s election victory over Vice President Kamala Harris, his lawyers had petitioned Judge Merchan to dismiss the case entirely, relying on a Supreme Court decision last year which granted sweeping immunity to a sitting president.
This was dismissed by the judge. The President-elect is now expected to challenge the decision, having long argued that the case against him was a political witch hunt.
“This lawless case should have never been brought and the Constitution demands that it be immediately dismissed,” his spokesman Steven Cheung said.
“There should be no sentencing, and President Trump will continue fighting against these hoaxes until they are all dead.”
Two federal criminal cases against Mr Trump – over his effort to overturn his 2020 election defeat and his mishandling of classified files – have already been dropped in recent weeks, given the Department of Justice is unable to continue prosecuting a sitting president.
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Originally published as Donald Trump to be sentenced over hush money conviction but spared punishment
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