On Friday morning, New York Judge Juan Merchan sentenced President-elect Donald Trump to an “unconditional discharge” — Trump won’t face jail time, fines, or probation.
Trump appeared in court virtually with his defense attorney Todd Blanche.
“After careful analysis, this court determined only lawful sentence that permits entry of judgment of conviction is an unconditional discharge,” Merchan said Friday. “At this time, I impose that sentence to cover all 34 counts.”
Merchan added: “Sir, I wish you Godspeed as you assume your second term in office.”
Trump spoke during the hearing — the first time he has addressed the court during this trial.
“This has been a very terrible experience. I think it’s been a tremendous setback” for New York, he said, according to the Times. The president-elect pointed to his election victory, arguing that the American people followed the hush money trial and still elected him president.
Trump concluded, “I was treated very, very unfairly, and I thank you very much.”
Trump posted his reaction to the sentencing on TRUTH Social:
“The Radical Democrats have lost another pathetic, unAmerican Witch Hunt. After spending tens of millions of dollars, wasting over 6 years of obsessive work that should have been spent on protecting New Yorkers from violent, rampant crime that is destroying the City and State, coordinating with the Biden/Harris Department of Injustice in lawless Weaponization, and bringing completely baseless, illegal, and fake charges against your 45th and 47th President, ME, I was given an UNCONDITIONAL DISCHARGE,” Trump posted.
“That result alone proves that, as all Legal Scholars and Experts have said, THERE IS NO CASE, THERE WAS NEVER A CASE, and this whole Scam fully deserves to be DISMISSED,” he continued.
“The real Jury, the American People, have spoken, by Re-Electing me with an overwhelming MANDATE in one of the most consequential Elections in History. As the American People have seen, this “case” had no crime, no damages, no proof, no facts, no Law, only a highly conflicted Judge, a star witness who is a disbarred, disgraced, serial perjurer, and criminal Election Interference. Today’s event was a despicable charade, and now that it is over, we will appeal this Hoax, which has no merit, and restore the trust of Americans in our once great System of Justice. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
This story is developing…
BREAKING NEWS: Donald Trump sentenced with no penalty in New York criminal trial, as judge wishes him ‘Godspeed’ in 2nd termhttps://t.co/4l3xyCecUb
— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 10, 2025
