Trump Dodges Jail in Porn Star Payoff Case — But is Set to be First Felon President
Trump was given an unconditional discharge.
Jan. 10 2025, Published 10:34 a.m. ET
Donald Trump has officially become a convicted felon.
The president-elect was sentenced Friday in his hush money case, but has escaped any serious penalties, RadarOnline.com can report.
Trump has been critical of California's leaders during the horrific situation.
In May, the 78-year-old was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records to hide a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels to keep her quiet ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
However, Judge Juan Merchan sentenced Trump to an "unconditional discharge," due to his upcoming new job, meaning he will not have to serve any jail time, nor perform any community service. He won't even have to pay a fine.
Before being sentenced, Trump had a chance to speak. The incoming president moaned about the sentence, the case and the entire justice system.
Via Zoom, Trump said: "This has been a very terrible experience. I think it’s been a tremendous setback for New York, the New York court system."
He then laid out his defense once more: "I called a legal fee a legal expense and for this, I got indicted. It’s incredible, actually."
The case revolved around hush money payments given to port star Stormy Daniels.
Trump lashed out at the trial process before being sentenced.
Trump continued: "I get indicted for business records? Everybody should be so accurate. It’s been a political witch hunt ... to damage my reputation so that I’d lose the election, obviously that didn’t work.
The businessman again praised his sweeping win in the November election, before bringing up a gag order Merchan ordered after Trump began attacking prosecutors, judges and other officials opposing him.
"I was under a gag order, I’m the first president in history (under) a gag order. I assume that I’m still under a gag order but the fact is I’m totally innocent, I did nothing wrong."
He was found guilty on 34 felony counts.
Manhattan Judge Merchan could have sentenced Trump to up to four years in prison. However, the judge could not ignore the Republican's new job title.
Speaking from the bench, Merchan expressed: "Never before has this court been presented with such a unique and remarkable set of circumstances.
The protections afforded the office of the president are not a mitigating factor. They do no reduce the seriousness of the crime or justify its commission in any way.
"The protections are, however, a legal mandate which, pursuant to the rule of law, this court must respect and follow. However, despite the extraordinary breadth of those protections, one power they do not provide is the power to erase a jury verdict."
Trump will not face any jail time.
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He then ruled: "It was the citizenry of this nation that recently decided that once again you should have the benefits of those protections which include, among other things, the supremacy clause and presidential immunity. It is through that lens and that reality that this court must determine a lawful sentence.
"This court has determined that the only lawful sentence that permits entry of judgment of conviction, without encroaching on the highest office of the land is unconditional discharge.
"Therefore, at this time, I impose that sentence to cover all 34 counts."
The case centered around porn-star Daniels, who had a one-night stand with the embattled GOP frontrunner in 2006, then claimed she was paid off in 2016 to keep silent about their hookup.
Prosecutors successfully argued that Trump falsified business records to reimburse his former lawyer-turned-witness Michael Cohen and conceal a "hush money" payment made to Daniels on Trump's behalf.
