On January 10, 2025, Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, was convicted in a historic ruling related to the case involving adult film actress Stormy Daniels. The sentence is symbolic and does not entail jail time, fines, or probation.
Judge Juan Merchan of the Manhattan District Court stated, "This court determined that the only legal sentence allowing for a conviction without infringing upon the highest office in the land is an unconditional discharge." Trump attended the hearing virtually.
This unusual conviction maintains Trump's guilt but does not impose any penalties. The 78-year-old Republican, set to return to the White House on January 20, was found guilty in May of 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment made during the final stretch of the 2016 elections to Daniels, with whom he allegedly had a brief extramarital affair, misrepresented as legal expenses.
Trump characterized the legal proceedings as a "shame on the judicial system," claiming the trial was orchestrated to damage his reputation to influence the election outcome, which he asserts ultimately failed. He expressed his sentiments during a video conference from Florida alongside one of his attorneys.
On January 9, Trump faced another setback when the conservative Supreme Court narrowly rejected an emergency appeal to block the sentencing announcement, marking a significant moment in one of the four legal battles he is currently facing.