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A judge has sentenced US President-elect Donald Trump to “unconditional resignation”, ending the first criminal trial against a former US president.
The conviction in the hush money case means the incoming president is exempt from any punishment, including jail time or a fine, but will still take office as the first US president with a felony conviction.
“Such special and remarkable circumstances have never before been presented to this court,” Judge Juan Merchan said before announcing the sentence, calling it “a truly exceptional case.”
Appearing via video call from Florida and flanked by his lawyer and two prominent American flags, Trump pleaded “absolutely innocent.”
It was the first time in the year-and-a-half long legal saga that Trump had said more than “not guilty” or given a brief affirmative answer.
Given a chance to speak before his sentencing, Trump argued the case for several minutes.
“It’s been a really great experience,” he said.
He said there had been a “weaponization” of the judicial system and that the case was brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for political reasons.
“I would like to explain that I was treated very, very unfairly, and I thank you very much,” he said, before falling silent.
When Bragg saw Trump speak directly to him for the first time, he kept a stoic expression. However, he laughed when Trump said Bragg never wanted to bring up the case.
After Trump spoke, Judge Merchan took several moments to reflect on the “paradox” of the trial.
As Judge Merchan stated, despite the media and political circle outside, “once the doors of the court were closed, it was no more special than all the other cases happening at the same time.”
But he added that after Trump was convicted, the case took another turn when Americans elected him for a second term in November.
After careful consideration, he decided that “the only legitimate sentence short of resigning the highest office in the land” was unconditional impeachment, a punishment that would allow the American people a president who did not await trial.
Trump was found guilty by a New York jury in May 2024 of 34 counts of falsifying business records. His sentencing was delayed several times due to Supreme Court rulings and the presidential election in November.
The charges stemmed from a scheme to cover up a hush money payment to an adult film star in the final days of the 2016 election. Prosecutors argued that the payment was a form of election interference aimed at withholding vital information from voters, and therefore broke the law.
In October 2016, Trump’s then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid a woman named Stormy Daniels $130,000 (£106,000) to keep quiet about an alleged years-long sexual relationship with the soon-to-be president.
After his election, Trump paid Cohen in installments, which he then falsely recorded as legal expenses. Each of Trump’s guilty verdicts is related to a false document related to the cover-up.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has denied a sexual relationship with Ms Daniels. He repeatedly said the case was politically motivated harassment.
It became a six-week legal, political and media trial. Big names like Cohen and Daniels were brought in to face questions from Trump’s lawyers.
Trump brought relatives and Republican allies to court every day to fill the seats behind his defense desk with him. Every day, he turned a small media pen in the hallway outside the courthouse into his personal pulpit, using opportunities to rail against the justice system, the press and other enemies.
Trump also used the anger of the trial to rally millions of supporters for his legal battles, and his campaign to win back the White House.
In the four years between his terms, Trump was indicted in four separate criminal cases, including the New York case. In the end, this was the only one that went to trial.
On the campaign trail and on social media, Trump used his legal chops to portray himself and his supporters as victims of a botched justice system.
Despite multiple impeachments, including two that focused on attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, Trump decisively defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in November.
His victory overturned two federal charges against him, including a federal election interference case and an alleged mishandling of classified documents. The third, an election interference case in Fulton County, Georgia, has been mired in months of delays and side drama.
Trump’s hush money trial only came to an end after Justice Merchan dug in his heels in early January and asked Trump to deliver his sentence either virtually or in person.
The fighting did not stop there, however. Trump’s lawyers filed appeals and even asked the US Supreme Court to halt Friday’s trial.
The Supreme Court reversed in a brief order issued Thursday night.
They also fought to have the case dismissed, arguing that president-elects are immune from criminal prosecution, an argument that Justice Merchan rejected but has continued to argue in higher courts.
When Trump’s trial in New York concluded with a final round on Friday, it also brought to an end this particularly difficult part of his personal and political history.
When he is sworn in 10 days from now, he will be the first US president to be convicted of a felony.
As he finished sentencing Friday, Merchan had one final message for Trump.
“I wish you Godspeed as you take on your second term,” he said.
