Donald Trump has been spared jail at his sentencing over hush money crimes just days before he is inaugurated as the 47th US president.
The 78-year-old politician was given an unconditional discharge with Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merch – who could have imposed a jail sentence of up to four years – declining to impose any punishment. The president elect was not present in New York but appeared by video link from his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.
Trump was found guilty in what prosecutors labelled an attempt to conceal a $130,000 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels over an alleged affair. He had appealed to delay sentencing in the case but this was rejected in a sharply divided Supreme Court.
The Republican is 10 days from inauguration on January 20, when he will become the first person in history convicted of a felony to take the White House. Daniels alleges she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006, which Trump still denies, along with any misconduct.
Read our live blog below for the latest updates…
15:24Joseph Gamp
Trump’s seven word declaration as he addressed court
At Donald Trump’s sentencing in New York City, the President-elect spoke to the court through a video call, making a seven word declaration about his 34 convictions stemming from his hush money trial.
“I’m totally innocent. I did nothing wrong,” Donald Trump said to Judge Juan Merchan and others watching as he sat in front of an American flag background.
Lawyers for the President-elect are working on an appeal for the case, but until then, Donald Trump got an unconditional discharge for 34 counts of falsifying business records by Judge Merchan at today’s sentencing – despite his pleas of innocence.
“At this time I impose that sentence to cover all 34 counts,” Merchan told the court, before wishing Trump god speed for his second term in office. This makes Donald Trump, a Republican, the first person convicted of a felony to assume the presidency.
Read more: Trump’s seven word declaration as he addressed court15:21Joseph Gamp
Judge declines to impose formal punishment on Trump
US President-elect Donald Trump was formally sentenced on Friday in his hush money case, but the judge declined to impose any punishment.
The outcome cements Mr Trump’s conviction while freeing him to return to the White House unencumbered by the threat of a jail term or a fine.
Mr Trump’s sentence of an unconditional discharge caps a norm-smashing case that saw the former and future president charged with 34 felonies, put on trial for almost two months and convicted on every count.
Manhattan Judge Juan M Merchan could have sentenced the 78-year-old Republican to up to four years in prison.
15:11Joseph Gamp
Judge tells Trump: ‘I wish you godspeed as you assume your second term in office’
Merchan began, speaking generally about the challenges and considerations of sentencing a defendant: “The task is always difficult and deserving of careful consideration – whether the sentence be unconditional discharge or incarceration of 25 years to life,”
“One can argue that the trial was in many respects somewhat ordinary,” Merchan said of how proceedings unfolded, but “the same cannot be said about the circumstances around this sentencing.”
The judge added: “To be sure, it is the legal protections afforded to the office of the president of the United States that are extraordinary – not the occupant of the office.”
“I wish you godspeed as you assume your second term in office,” he says.
Merchan tells the court that he has determined that unconditional discharge is “the only lawful sentence, without encroaching upon the highest office of the land”.
15:08KEY EVENT
Donald Trump sentenced to unconditional discharge
Judge Merchan is addressing the court and says the President-elect has been handed an unconditional discharge for falsifying business records.
Mr Trump is now officially classified as a felon.
“Never before has this court been presented with such a unique and remarkable set of circumstances,” Merchan says, calling it a “truly extraordinary case”.
Trump was handed an unconditional discharge by the judge (Image:POOL/AFP via Getty Images)15:06KEY EVENT
Trump has finishes defence by saying ‘I was treated very unfairly’
Trump has just finished his defence statement
He finishes by telling Judge Juan Merchan: “I was treated very unfairly and I thank you very much.”
The judge is now explaining how he has come to reach his sentencing decision.
15:03Joseph Gamp
Trump continues to attack case against him
The President-elect continued: “I get indicted for business records? Everybody should be so accurate. It’s been a political witch hunt … to damage my reputation so that I’d lose the election, obviously that didn’t work,” Trump continued.
He went on to recount how he had won the November election, noting that he had carried every swing state and the popular vote.
“I was under a gag order, I’m the first pesident in history [under] a gag order,” Trump said. “I assume that I’m still under a gag order but the fact is I’m totally innocent, I did nothing wrong.”
15:02KEY EVENT
Trump tells courthouse trial was a ‘political witch hunt’
Mr Trump tells the judge: “This has been a very terrible experience. I think it’s been a tremendous setback for New York, the New York court system. This is a case that Alvin Bragg did not want to bring … from what I read and what I hear, inappropriately handled before he got there. I called a legal fee a legal expense and for this, I got indicted. It’s incredible, actually.”
“They all said this case that should have never been brought, it’s an injustice,” Trump added. “It was done to damage my reputation so I would lose the election,” he says.
“This has been a political witch hunt.”
14:56KEY EVENT
Trump and lawyer address courtroom, tells judge it has been ‘a terrible experience’
The President-elect has told the court that the trial “has been a terrible experience”.
Trump’s lawer Todd Blanche also told the court: “Legally, this case should not have been brought. The majority of the American people also agreed that this case should not have been brought.
“The interesting thing was that the fact there was a trial, the first time in our history, the first time in an election season, the American voters got to see and decide for themselves whether this was the case that should have been brought and they decided. And that’s why, in 10 days, president Trump will assume the office of POTUS.”
“There’s many, many legal experts that share the same views that I just said – which is that legally this case should not have been brought,” Blanche says, noting that they plan to appeal the conviction.
“The majority of the American people also agree,” he says. “It’s a sad day for President Trump and his family and friends,” Blanche says. It’s also a “sad day for this country”.
Trump said his trial has been a ‘terrible experience’ (Image:Getty Images)14:51Joseph Gamp
Prosecutor says Trump was ‘unrelenting in attacks against this court’
Joshua Steinglass says each of the 34 felony charges should carry a prison term of 1-4 years.
Mr Steinglass says the president-elect has “engaged in a campaign to undermine the rule of law” to “serve his own ends”, adding: “He’s been unrelenting in his attacks against this court, prosecutors and their family
“His dangerous rhetoric and unconstitutional conduct has been a direct attack on the rule of law and he has publicly threatened to retaliate against the prosecutors.”
Trump appeared expressionless during the hearing (Image:Getty Images)
Mr Steinglass says this is “designed to have a chilling effect and to intimidate”.
Meanwhile, Trump’s Attorney Emil Bove watches on in the courthouse.
14:46Joseph Gamp
Prosecutor recommends sentence of unconditional release
Prosecutor Josh Steinglass told Judge Merchan: “The people recommend a sentence of unconditional release.”
This is inline with what the judge had previously hinted that he would do.
Inside the courthouse where Donald Trump is appearing via vide link from Florida (Image:POOL/AFP via Getty Images)14:45Joseph Gamp
Judge explains why Trump is appearing virtually
Judge Merchan said that Trump was given the option to appear in person and he elected to waive his personal appearance and show up virtually.
Merchan said that appearing virtually is permitted in New York.
Trump lawyer Todd Blanche acknowledged that he is in Florida with Trump.
Trump appears on video with lawyer Todd Banche (Image:POOL/AFP via Getty Images)14:41Joseph Gamp
Stoney faced Trump appears in black suit via videolink
Trump, seated in a dark suit, appeared on a video feed from his Florida club, seated with one of his lawyers, as his sentencing hearing began Friday after the nation’s highest court refused to intervene.
Like so much else in the criminal case and the current American political landscape, the scenario set to unfold in an austere Manhattan courtroom was unimaginable only a few years ago.
A state judge is to say what consequences, if any, the country’s former and soon-to-be leader will face for felonies that a jury found he committed.
Trump appears by videolink (Image:POOL/AFP via Getty Images)14:39Joseph Gamp
Donald Trump sentencing has now begun
Judge Juan Merchan has taken the bench, and Donald Trump’s sentencing in his hush money case is now beginning.
Donald Trump has appeared virtually at a court in New York as his sentencing proceedings get underway.
14:37KEY EVENT
Trump and lawyer appear for sentencing
Screens inside the courthouse show Donald Trump and his lawyer, Todd Blanche, are appearing via video link.
The link is being broadcast from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
The judge is yet to appear in the courthouse.
Donald Trump appears remotely for a sentencing hearing in front of New York State Judge Juan Merchan (Image:POOL/AFP via Getty Images)14:33Joseph Gamp
Running order of today’s proceedings
According to NBC News, a source close to the proceedings has claimed the Trump hearing will proceed as follows:
- Manhattan DA’s prosecutor will speak if they wish.
- Trump’s defense attorney, Todd Blanche, will speak if he so wishes.
- Donald Trump will then be given the opportunity to speak.
- Finally, Judge Juan Merchan will impose his sentence.
14:30KEY EVENT
Prosecution team and Trump’s lawyer take their seats
The Nww York prosecution team has entered the courtroom.
Emil Bove, a lawyer for Mr Trump, has also taken a seat at the defense table.
14:24Joseph Gamp
What’s happening inside the courthouse right now
In the last half hour, journalists and media were allowed to take their places in the courthouse ahead of this extraordinary and histioric ruling.
At present, accoding to the Associated Press, four big TV screens are mounted on the walls: one on either side of the bench where the judge will sit and one each hanging from the left and right side, parallel with the tables where the defense and prosecution will sit.
Another large monitor sits behind next to the defense table, visible to the judge’s bench. A crew from ABC News, which will be distributing an audio recording of the proceeding after it ends, was testing the microphone system.
A man impersonating President-elect Donald Trump walks outside the lower-Manhattan criminal court (Image:AP)14:17Joseph Gamp
‘Only one president at a time’
In their decision to the Supreme Court on Thursday, the prosecutors in Trump’s New York hush money trial rejected his arguments to halt the sentencing.
It said that “all of the evidence defendant challenged in his post-trial motion either concerned unofficial conduct that is not subject to any immunity, or is a matter of public record that is not subject to preclusion, as the trial court correctly held.”
As to Trump’s argument that he is immune as president-elect, the prosecutors said this “extraordinary immunity claim is unsupported by any decision from any court. It is axiomatic that there is only one president at a time.”
14:11Joseph Gamp
Will Donald Trump appear in court?
It is believed that Donald Trump will be appearing virtually at the sentencing hearing – despite attending every day of his trial in person in New York City.
Justice Juan Merchan said he could appear via video this time for the sentencing hearing in lower Manhattan – but his legal team has neither confirmed or denied this.
We’ll find out in just under 20 minutes time.
It is believed President-elect Trump will appear in court via video link (Image:AP)14:08Joseph Gamp
Trump is the first former – and incoming – president to be convicted of felony crimes
On May 30, 2024, Trump became the first former American president to be convicted of felony crimes.
Trump sat stone-faced while the verdict was read as cheering from the street below could be heard in the hallway on the courthouse’s 15th floor where the decision was revealed after more than nine hours of deliberations.
Donald Trump has again made history – and for all the wrong reasons (Image:Anadolu via Getty Images)14:04Joseph Gamp
Sentencing begins in 30 minutes time
Donald Trump will learn his fate as he’s sentenced for 34 counts of felony crimes relating to the cover up of hush money payments to Stormy Daniels.
The bombshell hearing will signal the first time in US history a conivcted felon will also become the nation’s president.
Stay tuned to our Mirror live blog for all the laytest developments in the bombshell hearing.
13:39Joseph Gamp
Pictured: Donald Trump supporters and demonstrators gather outside New York courthouse
Donald Trump supporters and demonstrators have gathered outside the Manhattan court house to offer their support to the incoming 47th president.
Brandishing a banner outside the building, the supporters referred to the court case as a ‘witch hunt’, despite Mr Trump being found guilty of all 34 felony counts.
And a counter demonstration was also seen otuside the couthourse, with anti-Trump supporters waving a banner that read ‘Trump is guilty’
The banner is also emblazoned with the words ‘Free Trump Save America’.
The hearing is set to get underway at 2.30pm UK time (9.30am EST).
Donald Trump supporters were seen outside the court house ahead of his sentencing hearing in New York13:34Joseph Gamp
Donald Trump promises huge New Jersey drones announcement within days
Meanwhile, amid the circus of his criminal sentencing, Donald Trump has promised to reveal the truth about the New Jersey drone mystery imminently as the “government knows what is happening”.
The incoming president says the craft that have been seen in their droves across the East Coast have also spotted above his own Bedminster golf course in the state.
And, speaking in a televised news briefing from his Mar A Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, he claimed he will reveal the answers “one day into his administration” – which would be January 21. He said: “I think it’s ridiculous that [the Biden administration] us not telling you about what’s going on with the drones,
Read more: Donald Trump promises huge New Jersey drones announcement within days
13:08KEY EVENT
Who is Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer?
Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen broke his silence after the former US president was found guilty of falsifying business records.
Trump reimbursed Michael Cohen for a $130,000 (£102,000) hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels in exchange for not going public with her claim about a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump. Prosecutors at the time said the reimbursements were falsely logged as “legal expenses” to hide the true nature of the transactions.
Trump was a private citizen and presidential candidate when Daniels was paid in 2016. He was president when the reimbursements to Cohen were made and recorded the following year.
Cohen was sentenced to a three year jail term in December 2018 after pleading guilty to campaign finance charges and lying to Congress, among other crimes. He served 13 months behind bars before being placed home confinement for 18 months. His time was further reduced through good behavior.
The court ordered him to pay a $50,000 fine and the he New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, disbarred him from practicing law in the state. He had completed his sentence on November 2021
After Trump was found guilty on all 34 felony counts in May last year, Cohen said: “Today is an important day for accountability and the rule of law. While it has been a difficult journey for me and my family, the truth always matters. I want to thank my attorneys Danya Perry and Joshua Kolb for their invaluable guidance and support throughout this process.”
Cohen was sentenced to a three year jail term in December 2018 (Image:AP)12:59Joseph Gamp
What about Donald Trump’s other criminal trials?
A slew of seperate criminal cases that once loomed over the president-elect have ended or stalled ahead of trial.
After Trump’s election victory, special counsel Jack Smith closed out the federal prosecutions over his handling of classified documents and his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.
Meanwhile, a state-level Georgia election interference case is locked in uncertainty after prosecutor Fani Willis was removed from it.
12:55Joseph Gamp
‘The pathetic, dying remnants of the Witch Hunts against me will not distract us’
Reacting on Thursday evening, the president-elect told reporters the case was a “disgrace”, although the Supreme Court decision was a “fair decision, actually.”
“It’s a judge that shouldn’t have been on the case,” he said, apparently referring to Justice Merchan, and adding “they can have fun with their political opponent”.
“The pathetic, dying remnants of the Witch Hunts against me will not distract us,” he posted later on his Truth Social platform.
12:53Joseph Gamp
What is meant by hush money?
According to Merriam-Webster, hush money is money paid to somebody to make them keep information secret.
In other words, it describes money that a person pays someone to hush up something.
Prosecutors say three payments were made on Trump’s behalf to bury marital infidelity claims during his 2016 presidential campaign. They are the National Enquirer’s $30,000 payment to a Trump Tower doorman, a $150,000 payment to former Playboy model Karen McDougal, and the $130,000 that Trump’s then-lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen arranged to pay porn actor Stormy Daniels.
Paying hush money isn’t illegal on its own, but authorities say the payments made to suppress stories about Trump amounted to illegal campaign contributions.
Trump was found guilty of 34 felony counts last May (Image:POOL/AFP via Getty Images)12:50KEY EVENT
What will happen to the President-elect?
The trial judge, Justice Juan Merchan, said last week he was not inclined to sentence the Republican president-elect to prison and would likely grant him unconditional discharge.
This would place a guilty judgment on Trump’s record, but would not impose custody, a fine or probation.
Merchan is set to sentence Trump in a matter of hours at 9:30am EST (2.30pm GMT)
12:49Joseph Gamp
Court order explains two reasons for decision for sentencing to proceed
The court’s brief, unsigned order gave two reasons for the decision to proceed with Trump’s sentencing.
The order stated: “First, the alleged evidentiary violations at president-elect Trump’s state-court trial can be addressed in the ordinary course on appeal.
“Second, the burden that sentencing will impose on the president-elect’s responsibilities is relatively insubstantial in light of the trial court’s stated intent to impose a sentence of ‘unconditional discharge’ after a brief virtual hearing.”
12:35KEY EVENT
Donald Trump sentencing: What has he been found guilty of?
In a dramatic end to Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial, a Manhattan jury found the former president guilty in the historic case that saw him charged with 34 felony counts related to the falsification of his business records.
The court found the firebrand politician falsified records to disguise reimbursements for a $130,000 hush money payment, made by then lawyer Michael Cohen, to adult film star Stormy Daniels as legal expenses in 2016.
The verdict in May last year ended the approximately eight-week trial ahead of the November election which swept Trump back into the White House. He will be inagurated as 47th US president on January 20th.
The court turned down Trump’s last-minute bid to prevent his sentencing, which is 10 days before the inauguration for his second term as president. Chief Justice John Roberts and fellow conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the court’s three liberal justices – Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson – in forming a majority to deny Trump’s request.
Justice Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the case, has indicated he will not consider a jail term for Trump. Today the president elect will learn his fate at his New York sentencing hearing.