Trump sentenced in hush money case

On Friday, 10 January, New York Judge Juan Merchan sentenced US President-elect Donald Trump to an unconditional discharge in the case involving hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.

As reported by Sky News, Trump, who was found guilty by a jury in summer 2024 on all 34 counts related to the hush money case, but received an unconditional discharge.

This form of sentencing means that Trump will not face imprisonment, probation or fines. However, a formal criminal conviction will be put on record, making him the first US president in history to be convicted of a criminal offence.

During sentencing, Judge Merchan explained that the immunity afforded to Trump by his position as president was "a factor that overrides all others".

"Donald Trump, the ordinary citizen, Donald Trump the criminal defendant, would not be entitled to such considerable protections," Judge Merchan said.

Trump attended the hearing via video link and criticised the court proceedings, describing them as a "political witch hunt" and "very terrible experience".

Trump was found guilty of falsifying business records to conceal a US$130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels in exchange for her silence ahead of the 2016 US presidential election. Daniels stated she had a sexual encounter with Trump years earlier.

The sentencing had originally been scheduled for 11 July last year but was postponed several times.

The hush money case was the only one in which a verdict could be announced before the US presidential election, as substantive hearings in Trump’s other cases have yet to begin.