Donald Trump Becomes the First U.S. President to Carry a Felony Conviction, Serving No Jail Time After New York Sentencing.
Donald Trump, the U.S. President-elect, has been sentenced in New York on 34 felony counts related to hush money payments and falsified business records. Despite the serious charges, he will serve no jail time, marking a historic moment as he becomes the first U.S. president to carry a felony conviction.
Judge Juan Mearchan, delivering the sentence, highlighted the “unique and remarkable circumstances” surrounding the case. Stressing that U.S. presidents are not above the law, the judge issued an unconditional discharge. This legal mechanism under New York law allows a judge to forgo imprisonment, fines, or probation if such penalties are deemed unnecessary in the public interest.
The charges stemmed from payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to silence her claims of an affair with Trump, as well as efforts to conceal the payments. A jury unanimously found Trump guilty in May 2024.
Speaking via video link from his Mar-a-Lago residence, Trump maintained his innocence, calling the trial “a very terrible experience” and a product of political conspiracy. He dismissed his former lawyer Michael Cohen, a key prosecution witness, as “totally discredited.” Trump also claimed his 2024 election victory rendered the verdict irrelevant.
Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass criticized Trump’s conduct, stating that his public attacks on the judiciary, prosecutors, and jurors had eroded trust in the legal system and endangered court officials. However, Steinglass supported the unconditional discharge, noting it was the most likely outcome.
The sentencing had been delayed to avoid interference with the election campaign. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Trump’s last-minute appeal to block the sentencing in a narrow 5-4 vote, with Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joining liberal justices in the decision.
This conviction adds to Trump’s controversial legacy. He is now both the first president to be impeached twice and the first to hold office with a criminal conviction. Legal experts note he cannot pardon himself in this case, as presidential pardons do not apply to state-level convictions.
While Trump continues to frame the case as a “witch hunt,” his legal troubles are far from over. Efforts to release the report from Special Counsel Jack Smith, regarding Trump’s role in the 2020 election overturn attempt and the January 6 insurrection, remain ongoing. Trump’s allies, meanwhile, have suggested pardoning political opponents preemptively, fearing retaliatory prosecutions once Trump assumes office.
As Trump prepares to take office on January 20, the nation enters uncharted territory, with a commander-in-chief whose legal challenges and convictions will undoubtedly shape his second term in unprecedented ways.
