Trump Is Sentenced in Hush-Money Case: No Prison Time or Even Probation, But He’s Now a Convicted Felon

Judge Juan Merchan released the president-elect on an ‘unconditional discharge’ which means he receives no punishment for the 34 felony convictions.

Brendan McDermid/Reuters via AP, Pool
President Trump, right, appears remotely with attorney Todd Blanche for a sentencing hearing in front of New York State Judge Juan Merchan in the criminal case in which he was convicted in 2024 on charges involving hush money paid to a porn star, at New York Criminal Court at New York, Jan. 10, 2025. Brendan McDermid/Reuters via AP, Pool

President Trump was released on an “unconditional discharge” on Friday morning at a sentencing hearing for his conviction in the long running hush-money case, and became the first ever president in the U.S. history to be sentenced in a criminal case and become a convicted felon. Trump did not attend the hearing in person. He appeared virtually from Florida. He can now appeal the conviction and has sworn to do so. 

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