President-elect Donald Trump was sentenced Friday in his historic hush money case to an unconditional discharge — allowing Trump to avoid prison, fines or probation, but cementing his status as a convicted felon just 10 days before he takes the oath of office for his second term.
During a brief virtual hearing, New York prosecutors blasted him for engaging in a “direct attack on the rule of law” and making efforts to “undermine its legitimacy” by attacking the judge and others involved in the case. Trump’s defense team, which vowed to appeal, said the case should never have been brought and called it a “sad day for this country.”
Judge Juan Merchan, who was a frequent target of Trump during the trial, said the unconditional discharge was the “only lawful sentence” to protect “the office of the president … not the occupant of the office.”
Merchan sentences Trump to unconditional discharge
Before sentencing Trump, Judge Merchan emphasizes that the “protections afforded to the office of the president” apply only to that office, “not the occupant of the office.”
“It is through that lens and that reality that this court must determine a lawful sentence,” Merchan says.
“This court has determined that the only lawful sentence … is an unconditional discharge,” Merchan says, handing down the sentence.
“Sir, I wish you god speed as you assume your second term in office,” Merchan tells Trump in conclusion.
The hearing over, Trump logs off his remote connection.
‘I have been treated very, very unfairly,’ says Trump
Trump concludes his statement by saying, “I have been treated very, very unfairly, and thank you very much.”
His tone for all his remarks was very calm and balanced — he said it plainly as if he was reading a speech. He never appeared to raise his voice.
Judge Merchan is now explaining his reasoning for his unconditional discharge sentence.
Trump is looking directly into the camera as Merchan explains his sentence.
“Never before has this court been presented with such a unique and remarkable set of circumstances,” Merchan says. “This has been a truly extraordinary case.”
Merchan is now remarking on the unremarkable nature of the trial, no different than any other trial that has taken place in this storied courthouse.
But the circumstances of this sentence are “extraordinary,” Merchan remarks regarding presidential immunity.
“This has been a very terrible experience,” Trump says, addressing the court on the large monitor.
“I think it’s been a tremendous setback for New York and the New York court system,” he said.
Trump is now going after a former assistant district attorney who resigned from the office before his indictment was brought.
He blames accountants for logging the hush payment to Stormy Daniels a legal expense.
“It’s incredible actually,” Trump says about his actions that prompted his indictment, arguing he correctly labeled Cohen’s payments as legal expenses.
Trump says this was a case Alvin Bragg did not want to bring, as the DA stared straight ahead expressionless, watching the feed.
“It’s an injustice of justice,” Trump says about the the case, citing a series of legal experts who criticized the case.
“It’s been a political witch hunt, it was damage my reputation so I would lose the election,” Trump says, boasting how he got more votes than any Republican and won all seven swing states.
abcnews.go.com
