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. 

Speaking to the court, the presiding judge, Juan Merchan, said he would not sentence Trump to any prison time or probation but that the jury’s verdict was nevertheless a serious one. He added that he must take into account aggravating and mitigating factors as well as the facts of the case.

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