Donald Trump blasts 'political witch hunt' as he's spared jail in historic hush money trial

10 January 2025, 15:10 | Updated: 10 January 2025, 23:38

Donald Trump proclaimed his innocence as he learned his sentence in his historic hush money trial.

Today, the incoming president was spared jail as a judge sentenced him to a no-penalty sentence - meaning he will avoid any time behind bars, a fine or probation.

Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts in a New York court on criminal charges involving him trying to cover up paying 130,000 dollars (£105,300) in hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 election.

The former US President had pleaded not guilty to all counts, and denied any sexual encounter with Daniels.

Judge Juan M Merchan had previously said he would not give Mr Trump jail time, fines or probation, but Mr Trump's lawyers claim the case has distracted from the Republican's upcoming presidency.

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Appearing via video link, Mr Trump branded the trial a "political witch hunt" designed to make him "lose the election."

Explaining his decision, Judge Merchan said the protections afforded to the office of the president are a "factor that overrides all others".

"Donald Trump, the ordinary citizen, Donald Trump the criminal defendant, would not be entitled to such considerable protections," he added.

"They do no reduce the seriousness of the crime or justify its commission in any way,” the judge said.

“The protections are, however, a legal mandate which, pursuant to the rule of law, this court must respect and follow. However, despite the extraordinary breadth of those protections, one power they do not provide is the power to erase a jury verdict.”

Judge Merchan continued: "It was the citizenry of this nation that recently decided that once again you should have the benefits of those protections which include, among other things, the supremacy clause and presidential immunity

"It is through that lens and that reality that this court must determine a lawful sentence.

"This court has determined that the only lawful sentence that permits entry of judgment of conviction, without encroaching on the highest office of the land is unconditional discharge.

"Therefore, at this time, I impose that sentence to cover all 34 counts."

Concluding the sentencing, judge Merchan wished Mr Trump "godspeed" in his second presidential term.

Donald Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social to slam the trial following his sentencing.

He wrote: "The Radical Democrats have lost another pathetic, unAmerican Witch Hunt. After spending tens of millions of dollars, wasting over 6 years of obsessive work that should have been spent on protecting New Yorkers from violent, rampant crime that is destroying the City and State, coordinating with the Biden/Harris Department of Injustice in lawless Weaponization, and bringing completely baseless, illegal, and fake charges against your 45th and 47th President, ME, I was given an UNCONDITIONAL DISCHARGE.

"That result alone proves that, as all Legal Scholars and Experts have said, THERE IS NO CASE, THERE WAS NEVER A CASE, and this whole Scam fully deserves to be DISMISSED.

"The real Jury, the American People, have spoken, by Re-Electing me with an overwhelming MANDATE in one of the most consequential Elections in History.

"As the American People have seen, this “case” had no crime, no damages, no proof, no facts, no Law, only a highly conflicted Judge, a star witness who is a disbarred, disgraced, serial perjurer, and criminal Election Interference.

"Today’s event was a despicable charade, and now that it is over, we will appeal this Hoax, which has no merit, and restore the trust of Americans in our once great System of Justice. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"