Donald Trump Sentencing LIVE: President-Elect Handed Unconditional Discharge, Sentence Explained – Newsweek

President-elect Donald Trump has been sentenced in the New York hush-money case, becoming the first U.S. president to face criminal sentencing while preparing to take office.Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan, who could have imposed a sentence of up to four years in prison, handed Trump down an unconditional discharge.An unconditional discharge is a sentence that does not impose any punishment, fine, or conditions, on a defendant after a conviction. It is typically used for first-time offenders or minor offenses.The sentence will allow him Trump return to the White House, free of any legal threat or potential jail term.Judge Merchan explained he’d declined to impose any punishment because of Trump’s upcoming presidential term and the “extraordinary” legal protections afforded to the office of the President of the United States. An unconditional discharge was “the most viable solution,” he added.During the short hearing on Friday, where he appeared via video link from Florida, Trump insisted, “‘I’m totally innocent. I did nothing wrong.”Trump has since posted on social media that he plans to appeal, calling the trial a “political witch hunt” and today’s sentencing a “a despicable charade.”Newsweek’s live blog is closed.Trump sent out a fundraising email moments after being sentenced, The Hill reports.”They’re trying to sabotage the Presidential Transition process. They’re trying to END the presidency as we know it — just before I take office,” Trump said in the message to supporters.The fundraising emailed linked to a website that suggested financial donations, ranging from $10 to $3,300.”After my RIGGED SENTENCING, do you still Stand with Trump? RESPOND TO TRUMP,” the website states.Matthew Dallek, a historian and professor at George Washington University, told USA Today that Trump’s sentencing today was an “insane spectacle” that “reflects a lot about the entire Trump era.””It’s both incredibly tawdry but it’s also a felony criminal conviction,” Dallek added.”And the fact that he was able to survive being convicted on 34 felony counts and win the White House handily is, I think, a neat encapsulation of American politics circa 2025.”Conservative media personality Charlie Kirk branded Donald Trump’s trial “a waste of time, energy, and money” after his sentencing hearing.”Trump got a UNCONDITIONAL DISCHARGE. What a waste of time, energy, and money. A show trial, and the bad guys lost,” he said in a post on X.Trump got a UNCONDITIONAL DISCHARGE.What a waste of time, energy, and money. A show trial, and the bad guys lost.House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) has thrown his support behind Donald Trump’s plans to appeal, as he claimed the criminal trial had done “untold damage to our justice system.””The judge grossly perverted the American legal system by manipulating existing law in a purely partisan effort to convert a bogus misdemeanor charge into a felony,” Johnson said, adding that the judge and “the deranged prosecution have done untold damage to our justice system.””After four years of lawfare, restoring the American people’s trust in our system of justice will be critically important, and I support President Trump’s decision to appeal this decision and put this shameful chapter in American history behind us,” he added.President-elect Donald Trump vowed to appeal withing minutes of the sentencing hearing ending.Trump and his legal team now have 30 days to file a “notice of appeal.”The full appeal process could drag on for years.Today’s sentencing hearing marked the first time a former president or an incoming one was sentenced for a felony conviction.Trump will also become the first convicted felon to serve as president when he takes office later this month.While Trump has undoubtedly faced difficulties, there is some positive news for the president-elect.According to 538’s tracker, Trump’s net favorability rating is currently at the highest point it has ever been, presently standing at -0.3, up from -18.4 points in January 2021.While this is lower than Biden’s net rating in January 2021, which stood at +23, according to 538, Trump is still more popular than ever. This time last year, Trump’s net favorability stood at -17 points, according to 538’s tracker, and at the beginning of November 2024, just before the election, it stood at -8.6.Trump is “about as popular with the American public as he has ever been,” CNN pollster Harry Enten said this week.The boost for Trump comes as his influence over the Republican Party is growing. Enten noted this week that of the 17 GOP members of Congress who previously voted to impeach Trump, only five remain after this year’s election—two in the House and three in the Senate.Trump also won a decisive victory in the 2024 election, and the Republicans are set to control the White House, the House and the Senate.”This is Donald Trump’s Republican Party,” Enten said.Meanwhile, Republicans’ willingness to support the president-elect was on display earlier this week when several of his allies defended his claims the U.S. should take control of Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, as well as the Panama Canal, and make Canada the 51st state.Trump’s popularity could allow him to pass his agenda easily through Congress if Republicans rally around him. It could also strengthen the likelihood of another MAGA candidate becoming the GOP’s nominee in the next presidential election, further entrenching Trump’s populist and nationalist vision within the party’s platform.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Friday that she has not yet spoken with Karoline Leavitt, the incoming press secretary for President-elect Donald Trump.”I have not had a discussion with my successor. I’m letting the transition team kind of manage that process and just doing my job, focusing on my job on behalf of the president,” Jean-Pierre said during a briefing.Her comments come amid preparations for the transition as the incoming administration prepares to take office.Trump may face challenges passing his agenda after appointing GOP House members to his administration.Trump appointed Florida Representative Matt Gaetz to be his attorney general. Immediately after the announcement, Gaetz resigned from the House of Representatives. Less than a month later, he withdrew his nomination after allegations of sexual misconduct.Gaetz’s resignation gave the GOP one less seat in the House after the party won a thin majority in the House during the 2024 election, now 219-215.The GOP’s majority could get even smaller, with Representatives Mike Waltz and Elise Stefanik nominated for national security adviser and United Nations ambassador roles.If the Senate confirms Stefanik, the GOP’s majority could drop to 217, in which case, a single GOP defection would mean no vote could pass without Democratic support until new Republicans are elected to replace Stefanik and Waltz in special elections, which could take months.In a Wednesday meeting with Senate Republicans, Trump emphasized urgency in passing his agenda. While initially advocating for a single comprehensive bill, he appeared open to dividing it into two after pushback from GOP senators.”One bill, two bills—doesn’t matter to me. They’re going to work that out. But the end result is going to be the same,” Trump told reporters.Trump has had a mixed record with the Supreme Court. His first administration had the lowest Supreme Court win rate in modern history, according to a database compiled by professors at Washington University in St. Louis and The Pennsylvania State University.The court also refused to overturn Trump’s 2020 election loss and rejected him repeatedly in clashes over investigations and documents after he left office.However, it also ruled in favor of broad presidential immunity to criminal prosecution in July, effectively scuttling Jack Smit’s case against Trump. It also rejected efforts to ban him from the ballot under a constitutional provision barring insurrectionists from holding office.The court’s latest ruling, 5-4 in favor of Trump’s sentencing in his hush money case going ahead, is perhaps a sign that the highest court in the land will not yield to Trump’s demands.Nevertheless, there are still concerns that the court may not act as a check against Trump when he takes office in the way it should after ABC News reported that Associate Justice Samuel Alito spoke to Trump by phone on Tuesday hours before the president-elect’s lawyers filed an emergency request with the justices asking them to the judge from moving forward with sentencing in his criminal hush money case.Alito told ABC News he called Trump to recommend one of his former law clerks for a job in the new administration.”William Levi, one of my former law clerks, asked me to take a call from President-elect Trump regarding his qualifications to serve in a government position,” Alito said. “I agreed to discuss this matter with President-elect Trump, and he called me yesterday afternoon.””Trump seems to approach the Supreme Court as his back-pocket way out of any legal thicket,” Kimberly Wehle, a University of Baltimore law professor focusing on the constitutional separation of powers, told Bloomberg News. “I don’t get the sense he’s concerned whether they will establish guardrails where they haven’t done so.”Trump previously claimed that he would end the Russia-Ukraine war “within 24 hours” of taking office. But those hopes now look to be fading after the president-elect reportedly pushed back the timeline to several months, according to the Financial Times.”The whole [Trump] team is obsessed with strength and looking strong, so they’re recalibrating the Ukraine approach,” a European official told the outlet.Earlier in the week, Trump suggested that “six months” was a more realistic target to end the war. On Wednesday, Keith Kellogg, Trump’s appointed special envoy for Ukraine, told Fox News that the aim was to stop the conflict in “100 days.”Late Tuesday, Trump said at a news briefing at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida that a meeting is being arranged with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He did not say when the meeting would take place.”President Putin wants to meet” and “we are setting it up,” Trump said. “We have to get that war over with. That’s a bloody mess.”Two days later, Putin’s spokesman said Moscow had received no requests to set up a meeting, according to the Russian news outlet Interfax. However, the Kremlin said Putin would “welcome” any approach from Trump and was prepared for “dialogue” with the United States.For nearly a year, Trump has said that the Russian invasion of Ukraine would not have happened if he were still president. He has cited his apparent agreements with Putin and the Russian president’s lack of respect and fear for Biden.The Department of Justice is seeking to have special counsel Jack Smith’s report into Donald Trump’s federal indictments released before the president-elect takes office.Under DOJ rules, all prosecutors must issue a report on any attempted prosecution, successful or not. But if the report is not released before Trump takes office in 10 days, it will likely never be published.Smith’s report on the two federal cases against Trump could offer valuable insights into the evidence against him in the classified documents case and the case related to his efforts to overturn the result of the 2020 election.On January 7, Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, ruled that the report should be blocked.However, on Thursday, a federal appeals court ruled on a point of law that the DOJ could, in theory, release the report but held that Cannon’s decision would have to be appealed before it could actually be shared publicly. Three hours later, the DOJ launched an appeal against Cannon’s ruling, seeking to overturn it as soon as possible and have the report released before January 20.If granted, the DOJ will send a copy of Smith’s report to Congress and, possibly, release the election interference part to the public.The DOJ has indicated that in any case, it will only release the part of the report that deals with Trump’s election interference case because the classified documents case is ongoing.In a letter released Monday, Trump’s attorneys attempted to block the report, asking Attorney General Merrick Garland to remove Smith from his post and either decline to release the report or hand over the matter to Trump’s incoming administration.”Because Smith has proposed an unlawful course of action, you must countermand his plan and remove him promptly. If Smith is not removed, then the handling of his report should be deferred to President Trump’s incoming attorney general, consistent with the expressed will of the People,” Trump’s attorneys wrote.They also said they would seek legal recourse should Garland deny their requests.Donald Trump’s second term in the White House is shaping up to face significant challenges just 10 days before his inauguration.Newsweek reached out to Trump’s transition team for comment via email.Today’s sentencing is just one of the challenges Trump faces before the inauguration.Challenges also include:Flags will be flying at half-staff when Trump takes office later this month in honor of former President Jimmy Carter, who died on December 29 at age 100.President Joe Biden’s proclamation about Carter’s death directed that flags be flown at half-staff “as an expression of public sorrow” for 30 days, meaning it will cover Trump’s inauguration on January 20.Trump criticized the decision, falsely stating that it would be the first time this has occurred at an inauguration.”In any event, because of the death of President Jimmy Carter, the Flag may, for the first time ever during an Inauguration of a future President, be at half mast,” he wrote. “Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it. Let’s see how it plays out.”Flags were flown at half-staff during President Richard Nixon’s second inauguration on January 20, 1973, as they had been lowered earlier after the death of former President Harry S. Truman on December 26, 1972.During a briefing, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was questioned about whether the White House might reconsider its decision to fly flags at half-staff following Trump’s concerns regarding his inauguration. Jean-Pierre firmly responded, “No.”After his inauguration, Trump could technically overturn Biden’s proclamation and order the flags raised, a precedent set by Nixon in 1973 when he briefly raised the flags for a day to honor the release of American prisoners of war in Vietnam.Aside from the sentencing of President-elect President Donald Trump, experts are warning that his proposed future tariffs on foreign imports could have a significant impact on grocery prices and public health in the U.S.Tariffs are essentially taxes on products entering a country, meant to encourage domestic production by making imports more expensive. According to Bryan Quoc Le, a food scientist and consultant, Trump’s planned tariffs target imports from various countries, especially Canada, Mexico, and China. While the goal is to boost American agriculture, the immediate consequence may be higher grocery costs for consumers.A 2023 U.S. Food and Drug Administration report highlighted the heavy reliance on imports for various food products. In 2018, 94% of seafood, 55% of fresh fruit, and 32% of fresh vegetables in the U.S. were imported. With tariffs in place, products like fruits from Mexico and seafood from China could see price hikes.Despite the concerns, some see potential benefits. Dan Miller, CEO of the agricultural company Steward, believes tariffs could protect U.S. farmers from unfair foreign competition, leading to a stronger domestic food system. However, experts like Usha Haley from Wichita State University caution that this shift may take time and could lead to more processed food consumption in the short term.The bottom line: While the tariffs may support U.S. agriculture in the long run, they could exacerbate food insecurity and health issues for Americans, especially in lower-income communities.President-elect Donald Trump loomed over the U.S. Supreme Court’s hearing into whether justices should block a law that would ban the platform if its parent company does not divest its ownership by January 19.The Supreme Court’s decision in the case may determine whether TikTok will continue to operate in the U.S. after the ban goes into effect.Proponents of the ban point to concerns about whether the Chinese Communist Party could use the platform to undermine U.S. national security, but opponents have raised First Amendment arguments about why the ban would be unconstitutional.A ban would disrupt the creator economy for many influencers who have built a following and stream of income from the platform.Trump came up at multiple points during arguments, with lawyers representing TikTok and its content creators saying he could be instrumental in determining the platform’s future.”As I understand it, we go dark. Essentially the platform shuts down, unless there’s a divestiture or unless President Trump exercises his authority to extend it. But he can’t do that on January 19. On January 19, we still have President Biden. And on January 19, as I understand it, we shut down,” said Noel Francisco, the lawyer representing TikTok.Read the full story by Andrew Stanton on Newsweek.Another lawyer, Marc Elias, warned on BlueSky that Trump’s lenient sentence would do the same “damage to the public perception of the criminal justice system,’ that Trump was accused of.Lawyer Don Lewis, in a post on X, said that unconditional discharges were typically reserved for minor crimes, not 34 felonies.”An unconditional discharge is often given for minor offenses or when the court determines that the individual has shown good behavior or does not pose a risk to society,” he said.”And Judge Merchan just gave one of these to Trump. My head hurts.”And yet, everyone is acting like a sentence if unconditional discharge is normal or that prosecutors asking for that doesn’t also cause “damage to the public perception of the criminal justice system.”Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, said that most Americans “agree that this case should not have been brought” as he announced in court that the legal team was planning to appeal.”A lot of what the government just said presupposes that this case is legally appropriate,” Blanche said”The American voters got a chance to see and decide for themselves whether this was the kind of case that should be brought, and they decided, and that’s why in 10 days Trump will be POTUS,” Blanche said.Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert claimed that Trump has been “exonerated” by today’s lenient sentence.”President Trump has been totally exonerated. There was NEVER a case. Those who brought these fake political charges need to be held accountable!” she wrote on X.Today’s unconditional sentence does not exonerate Trump of his 34 felony convictions. It does, however, impose no punishment for the crimes.President Trump has been totally exonerated.There was NEVER a case.Those who brought these fake political charges need to be held accountable!Trump, who is registered to vote in Florida, will still be able to vote there. Florida only bars people convicted of felonies in outside states from voting if they lost their right to vote in the state where they were convicted. New York bars convicted felons from voting while they are incarcerated, but their voting rights are restored once they are released. Since Trump isn’t going to jail, this doesn’t apply to him.Trump can still hold both a tourist passport and also a diplomatic passport as president, which allows him to visit foreign countries for official business. Passports are denied or revoked for felons who are sentenced to prison time or probation, but this doesn’t apply to Trump. However, some countries like Canada, the United Kingdom and Israel do restrict or reserve the right to prohibit visits from convicted felons.A felony conviction could also bar the president-elect from holding liquor licenses. However, Trump’s real estate company has said all his properties are owned through corporate entities and that he is not an officer or director of any entity holding liquor licenses.Trump, who had a gun license and talked about owning guns in the past, has lost his right to possess firearms.The president-elect could also be banned from any ventures back into the casino business. Trump once owned three casinos in Atlantic City, and if he wanted to reenter the business, he would probably run into an issue because people with criminal records are usually not able to obtain gaming licenses.President-elect Donald Trump was sentenced in his New York hush money case on Friday, ending the case that found him guilty of multiple felony counts.As a convicted felon, Trump has lost the right to possess firearms, but he can still vote, hold federal office and travel outside of the country.Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and sentenced. His sentencing hearing, in which Manhattan-based Juan Merchan gave him an unconditional discharge, comes less than two weeks before his inauguration on January 20.Trump’s unconditional discharge means that he will not be punished with prison time, fines or community service. He will, however, have felonies on his criminal record, which changes some things for him moving forward.Read in full from Rachel Dobkin on Newsweek.New York lawyer Adam S. Cohen said that today’s sentence proved Trump was right when he claimed he could shoot someone in the middle of the street, and not lose voters.”Sentencing Trump to an unconditional discharge means that yes, he can basically shoot somebody on Fifth Avenue and get away with it,” Cohen, a vocal Trump critic, wrote on Bluesky.”It means that — if you’re rich and powerful enough — you can get away with anything.”Sentencing Trump to an unconditional discharge means that yes, he can basically shoot somebody on Fifth Avenue and get away with it

It means that-if you’re rich and powerful enough-you can get away with anything

It means the American justice system has utterly failed us

THAT’S what it meansJon Cooper, former Campaign Chair for Barack Obama, branded the sentencing a “f*cking joke.””Trump hadn’t won the election, I wonder what his sentence would have been?” he asked.The Lincoln Project, a PAC founded in December 2019 by moderate conservatives and former Republican Party members who oppose Trump, said in a post on X, that they believe the only reason the 45th president ran was to avoid prison.Something that he had now achieved.”Donald Trump ran for office to avoid punishment for his crimes, and it worked,” the project said in a post.”The fact still remains that he is a 34 times convicted felon.”Justice Coney Barrett was nominated by then-President Trump to join the Supreme Court in 2020 to succeed Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The nomination, however, was deemed controversial since it was only 38 days before the 2020 presidential election.Senate voted 52-48 to confirm her, with all Democrats and one Republican opposing the vote.Coney Barrett is the fifth woman to serve on the court.Prior to the appointment, Coney Barrett served from 2017 to 2020 as a circuit judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, which covers Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. Coney Barrett was nominated to that position by Trump as well, after the previous judge took senior status.As part of Coney Barrett’s hearing to become a circuit judge, Senator Dianne Feinstein questioned her about a law review article she co-wrote in 1998. Coney Barrett and Professor John Garvey had argued that Catholic judges should recuse themselves from death penalty cases.In the hearing, Coney Barrett explained that her “personal church affiliation or my religious belief would not bear on the discharge of my duties as a judge.” This, however, made Coney Barrett popular with religious conservatives, especially on issues like abortion rights and LGBTQ equality.During her time in the 7th Circuit, Coney Barrett also taught at the University of Notre Dame Law School. She held classes on civil procedure, constitutional law and statutory interpretation.Donald Trump’s supporters are taking to social media to call out Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett for going against the president-elect, who placed her on the bench, in the ruling around his sentencing decision.Chief Justice John Roberts, along with Coney Barrett, broke with conservatives to side with the court’s three liberal justices.Many Make America Great Again (MAGA) supporters are calling out Coney Barrett specifically for her switch.”In my opinion, Amy Coney Barrett has been the biggest disappointment from President Trump’s first term in office. I was completely fooled by this closet liberal!” posted Vince Langman, who identifies himself as “MAGA2024” and an “ex-con deplorable.”Another Trump supporter and X user, Ikta Sensrosi, posted that Coney Barrett is “one of the worst people to ever serve on SCOTUS.”Read in full from Monica Sager on Newsweek. Laura Coates, a former federal prosecutor, told CNN that while, “many people are looking at if there are two systems of justice in America, well I’ve got to tell you, Donald Trump right now is in a league of his own.”Florida Sen. Rick Scott echoed Donald Trump’s claims of a “witch hunt” after today’s sentencing.”Today’s sham sentencing was nothing but a cheap show and political witch hunt because Democrats can’t accept the will of the American people,” the Republican said in a post on X.”Trump won. They lost.”Today’s sham sentencing was nothing but a cheap show and political witch hunt because Democrats can’t accept the will of the American people. Trump won. They lost. Soros-funded DA Alvin Bragg is wasting time and millions of taxpayer dollars on political lawfare against Trump…Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is leading the Republican House response to Trump’s sentencing.Green claimed in a post on X that Judge Merchan had “engaged in criminal abuse of power to attack the Democrat’s top political opponent, Donald Trump.””Shamefully, Judge Merchan and the Democrats didn’t perceive terrorists, cartels, and everyday street criminals as threats to democracy,” she said, adding she “can’t wait” for new Attorney General Pam Bondi.Representative Kat Cammack (R-FL 3rd District) also attacked today’s proceedings, calling it “law-fare.”Judge Merchan engaged in criminal abuse of power to attack the Democrat’s top political opponent, Donald Trump.Shamefully, Judge Merchan and the Democrats didn’t perceive terrorists, cartels, and everyday street criminals as threats to democracy.Can’t wait for @PamBondi https://t.co/udnVEepQtuA group of Donald Trump supporters waved their flags and celebrated outside a Manhattan federal courthouse after the president-elect was not handed any punishment at his sentencing today.The supports, whose flags read “Make America Great Again” and “Trump for President 2024,” stood across from a small group of protesters who gathered in front of the courthouse with signs that read “DESERVES THE MAXIMUM SENTENCE” and “34 FELONY CONVICTIONS.”Sen. Lindsey Graham has claimed that the New York Attorney General and Manhattan District Attorney, “see President Trump as a political prize.”In a post on X, after the sentencing was handed down, Graham claimed New York’s judicial officials were “weaponizing the law.””I have no respect for the process being used in New York,” he said.”I find the judge and prosecutor’s motives to be dripping with politics. This is a sad day for America.”The New York justice system is beyond anti-Trump. The New York Attorney General and Manhattan District Attorney see President Trump as a political prize.They have singled out President Trump for prosecution for offenses that either never existed before or were cobbled… https://t.co/pJoqz7z6xHTrump can now return to business as usual after the sentencing, and can focus on his return to the White House in just ten days.An unconditional discharge is a sentence that does not impose any punishment, fine, or conditionals on a defendant after a conviction.It is typically used for first-time offenders or minor offenses.In New York, judges are required to state why they are giving an unconditional discharge for any felony crime. Trump was convicted of 34 felonies.Judge Merchan had said the unconditional discharge was “the most viable solution” because Trump was about to take office and would therefore fall under a number of legal protections.Prosecutors said they supported a no-penalty sentence for Trump because “the American public has the right to a presidency unencumbered to pending legal matters.”But prosecutor Joshua Steinglass criticized Trump’s attacks on the legal system after the case, saying, “The once and future President of the United States has engaged in a coordinated campaign to undermine its legitimacy.”Donald Trump has announced he plans to appeal, as he called today’s sentencing “a despicable charade.””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,” he said on Truth Social.The President-elect rallied against the Democrats for “spending tens of millions of dollars, wasting over 6 years of obsessive work” to bring charges against Trump, only for him to receive an unconditional discharge.”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.”The judge in today’s case, who could have sentenced Trump to up to four years in prison, said he chose an unconditional charge because of the legal protections afforded to the office of the presidency.Watch the footage of protestors rallying outside the courtroom where Trump’s sentencing took place.Donald Trump took to Truth Social to express his frustration after his sentencing in a case he deemed a “pathetic, unAmerican Witch Hunt.” In a lengthy post, Trump criticized what he called a years-long effort by “Radical Democrats” to undermine his presidency, accusing them of wasting millions of dollars and valuable time that could have been spent addressing crime in New York.”After spending tens of millions of dollars, wasting over 6 years of obsessive work, and coordinating with the Biden/Harris Department of Injustice in lawless Weaponization, they brought completely baseless, illegal, and fake charges against your 45th and 47th President, ME,” Trump wrote, claiming that his “unconditional discharge” from the case proved the accusations were unfounded.Trump further insisted that legal experts had agreed there was “no case” from the start, emphasizing that the legal system had been manipulated by political forces. “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,” he said, referencing his 2020 presidential bid.He also lambasted the key players involved, particularly the judge and a key witness he described as a “disbarred, disgraced, serial perjurer,” accusing them of being part of a larger conspiracy for “criminal Election Interference.” Trump vowed to appeal what he called the “Hoax” and restore faith in the justice system.Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan ended today’s proceedings by wishing President-elect Donald Trump luck as he takes office.After announcing the sentence of unconditional discharge, to cover all 34 felony counts, Merchan told Trump, “I wish you Godspeed as you assume a second term in office.”Donald Trump continues to face multiple legal challenges, with two key cases still in play. The hush money case, which is the only one of Trump’s four criminal indictments to go to trial, remains active, and the outcome is still pending.In addition, Trump is fighting to delay the release of reports from special counsel Jack Smith regarding his two federal investigations—one involving efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, and the other concerning the alleged mishandling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate.Meanwhile, a separate state-level election interference case in Georgia has encountered a setback, as an appeals court removed prosecutor Fani Willis from the case, leaving the legal situation in limbo. Despite these ongoing battles, Smith concluded his two federal cases in November, with no further legal proceedings announced yet for those matters.Trump sat frowning, with his lips pursed, as Judge Merchan delivered the sentence.Judge Merchan says that the “legal protections afforded to the office of the President of the United States that are extraordinary, not the occupant.”Manhattan-based Judge Juan Merchan has sentenced President-elect Donald Trump to an unconditional charge on Friday.President-elect Donald Trump is speaking in court, as he insists, “‘I’m totally innocent. I did nothing wrong.”Trump claimed he was the victim of a “political witch hunt.””It was done to damage my reputation so that I would lose the election, and obviously, that didn’t work.””This has been a very terrible experience. I think it has been a tremendous set back for New York and the New York court system,” he said.Trump lawyer Todd Blanche, who is sat next to his client in Florida as they appear via video link, pushed back in response to the assistant DA’s comments.”I very, very much disagree with much of what the government just said about this case, about the legitimacy of what happened in this courtroom during this trial, and about President Trump’s conduct fighting this case,” Blanche said.Assistant DA Joshua Steinglass said that Trump’s behavior, and the “enduring damage” he’d caused to the reputation of the justice system would normally result in a heavy sentence.But prosecutors had to “be respectful of the office of the presidency.””The American public has the right to a presidency unencumbered to pending legal matters… imposing this sentence ensures that,” he said.Steinglass said an unconditional discharge is the “most practical sentence prior to his inauguration.”Assistant DA Joshua Steinglass says that Trump has not shown any “kind of remorse for his criminal conduct.”In fact, the president-elect has shown a “disdain for our judicial system” as he believes “he’s too powerful to be subjected to prosecution,” Steinglass added.”(Trump) has characterized these proceedings as corrupt, witch hunt, sham; unrelenting in his attacks on the members of the courtroom and their families.”The defendant’s conduct constitutes a direct attack on the rule of law itself.”Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass said that Trump’s conviction could carry a sentence of up to four years in prison.However, Steinglass said that the prosecution is recommending an unconditional discharge.He added that prosecutors are OK with a no-penalty sentence due to the unique circumstances surrounding the case, as Trump prepares to return to the White House.”The verdict in this case was unanimous and decisive and it must be respected,” he said.Donald Trump is appearing in court, via video link, wearing a red, striped tie and an American flag pin.The president-elected had waived a personal appearance and decided to attend virtually, from Florida, via Microsoft Teams, Trump attorney Emil Bove said.Trump was joined in Florida by another of his lawyers, Todd Blanche.Judge Juan M. Merchan has entered the courtroom and is on the bench.Judge Juan Merchan has entered the courtroom, signaling the start of the proceedings.It was also said that Trump elected to waive personal appearance to attend virtually.Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has entered the courtroom.Bragg has taken a seat behind the prosecutors, in the second bench row.Manhattan prosecutors were in full attendance at the courtroom for Donald Trump’s sentencing hearing, with Steinglass, Conroy, Hoffinger, and Colangelo representing the prosecution. Emil Bove was present for the defense.Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg made an appearance, walking into the courtroom as the proceedings unfolded.As the hearing continued, Bove briefly stepped out to take a phone call. Meanwhile, Trump, who is attending the hearing virtually, appeared on screen with his attorney Todd Blanche.Both were positioned in front of their webcam, with American flags visible behind them.On Friday morning, a small group of protesters gathered in front of the Manhattan federal courthouse as Donald Trump’s sentencing proceeded. The demonstrators carried signs with messages such as “DESERVES THE MAXIMUM SENTENCE” and “34 FELONY CONVICTIONS,” voicing their opposition to the former president’s legal situation.Across the street, in a park, Trump supporters also made their presence known. They unfurled a large flag emblazoned with the words “TRUMP WON,” signaling their continued support for the former president amidst the legal proceedings. The contrasting displays of support and protest added to the charged atmosphere surrounding the courthouse on this significant day.The courtroom where Donald Trump’s sentencing is taking place presents a contrast to the tense atmosphere of his trial, according to Newsweek reporter Katherine Fung. The courthouse itself is quieter, with fewer people in attendance, and security is noticeably more relaxed than during the trial. Unlike the multiple checkpoints during the trial, this time there was only one checkpoint for those without secure passes, which included a simple metal detector scan. I, having a secure pass, was able to skip that process entirely.Inside the courtroom, the mood is notably calmer. Reporters and attendees are chatting amongst themselves, and even law enforcement officers appear more relaxed, laughing amongst themselves at times.The room, which had been tightly packed during the trial, now has more space with additional reporters and citizens filling in the gaps. Unlike before, the rows for Trump’s supporters are not blocked off, giving the space an overall more open and less charged atmosphere.New Yorkers will not be able to watch the proceedings inside the courtroom. Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the case, has decided not to allow cameras for live broadcasts. Instead, news networks will provide coverage from outside the courthouse.New York is one of only two states that require judicial approval for trial proceedings to be aired. Judge Merchan has not granted such permission for this hearing, ensuring that the proceedings will remain private.Donald Trump’s sentencing will be happening at 9:30 a.m. ET in New York.Trump will not physically be in the courtroom for the sentencing; however, he will be joining in virtually from Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.Judge Juan Merchan, the New York Supreme Court judge overseeing Donald Trump’s hush money trial, is a seasoned and respected jurist with a reputation for both toughness and fairness. Merchan has had a long career in law, beginning as an assistant district attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in 1994. Over the years, he gained prominence, eventually serving in high-profile cases such as the Trump Organization tax fraud trial and the sentencing of Trump’s associate, Allen Weisselberg.Merchan, born in Bogotá, Colombia, and raised in Jackson Heights, Queens, became the first in his family to attend college. His early legal work took him from the attorney general’s office to Family Court in the Bronx, before his appointment to the New York State Court of Claims and later as an acting New York Supreme Court judge in 2009.Known for his no-nonsense approach in the courtroom, Merchan has earned respect from attorneys and defendants alike. Despite this, he has faced criticism from Trump, who has accused him of bias due to his daughter’s ties to Democratic political campaigns. However, Merchan has consistently maintained his impartiality, issuing a gag order against Trump to prevent any attempts to disrupt the proceedings.Throughout his career, Merchan has also earned recognition for his compassionate rulings in the Manhattan Mental Health Court, providing second chances for those with mental health issues while ensuring fair trials for all. His combination of tough rulings and empathetic decision-making has made him a significant figure in the New York legal landscape.At 3 a.m. today, the Department of Justice filed a notice of appeal to overturn Judge Cannon’s order preventing the release of the Jack Smith final report on Donald Trump. Reporter Jose Pagliery tweeted that the filing stresses the DOJ’s recognition of the report’s importance, particularly with the January 20 deadline approaching.At 3 am, the DOJ filed a notice of appeal seeking to reverse Judge Cannon’s order that stops the release of the Jack Smith final report on Donald Trump.That, and this line in the filing, indicate how prosecutors realize the importance of the report going public before Jan 20. pic.twitter.com/KNJfW1AVWUManhattan Judge Juan Merchan, a Democrat, had delayed the sentencing of President-elect Donald Trump multiple times, initially scheduled for July, before finalizing Friday’s date. Merchan cited the need for “finality” in his written statement, emphasizing the importance of balancing Trump’s governance with the jury’s verdict and public expectations that “no one is above the law.”Trump’s legal team made several last-minute attempts to halt the proceedings, but those efforts were thwarted on Thursday night when the U.S. Supreme Court, in a narrow 5-4 decision, rejected their request for a delay. This clears the path for Trump’s historic sentencing, set to take place just days before his inauguration.With just 10 days before his inauguration, President-elect Donald Trump is expected to receive an unconditional discharge during Friday’s sentencing, according to Judge Juan Merchan. The no-penalty sentence would impose no jail time, probation, or fines, with prosecutors not opposing the decision. However, the final outcome will not be confirmed until the proceedings conclude.Regardless of the sentence, Trump will make history as the first individual convicted of a felony to take the oath of office, marking an unprecedented chapter in American political and legal history.The hush money case against President-elect Donald Trump revolves around allegations that he falsified business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to adult film actor Stormy Daniels. The payment, made during the final days of Trump’s 2016 campaign, was intended to prevent Daniels from publicly discussing an alleged sexual encounter she claims occurred in 2006.Trump denies the encounter and has called the case a politically motivated attack by his adversaries.With a state judge set to sentence a man on the brink of becoming president, the case emphasizes an unprecedented moment in U.S. history. It raises questions about the intersection of legal accountability and political leadership in the nation’s highest office.President-elect Donald Trump is set to be sentenced at 9:30 a.m. EST on Friday, following Judge Juan Merchan’s order finalizing the proceedings. The Manhattan-based judge also denied Trump’s request to overturn the guilty verdict in his case, ensuring the sentencing moves forward just days before his inauguration.Trump is expected to appear via video from his Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida, where he will have the chance to address the court.The case, which Trump has consistently criticized, is the only one among his four criminal indictments to go to trial. His virtual appearance is likely to draw intense public and media scrutiny.Newsweek is committed to journalism that’s factual and fair.Hold us accountable and submit your rating of this article on the meter. Newsweek is committed to journalism that’s factual and fair.Hold us accountable and submit your rating of this article on the meter. To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.Hannah Parry is a Newsweek Live Blog Editor based in New York. Her focus is reporting on U.S. politics and society. She has covered politics, tech and crime extensively.Hannah joined Newsweek in 2024 and previously worked as an assistant editor at The U.S. Sun and as a senior reporter and assistant news editor at The Daily Mail. She is a graduate of the University of Nottingham. You can get in touch with Hannah by emailing h.parry@newsweek.com. Languages: English.Hannah Parry is a Newsweek Live Blog Editor based in New York. Her focus is reporting on U.S. politics and …
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Source: https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-sentencing-live-stormy-daniels-hush-money-2013006