If you have been following any news surrounding Donald Trump, you will know that for the past year and a half, he has been embroiled in a legal battle concerning a hush-money case with adult actress Stormy Daniels.
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To summarise the situation, in May 2024, Donald Trump was found guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records by a New York jury. However, due to the 2024 presidential election, Trump’s sentencing was delayed several times.
The President-elect’s lawyer in 2016, Michael Cohen, was accused of paying Stormy Daniels $130,000 (£106,000) to stay silent about an alleged sexual encounter between her and the businessman. Following Trump’s election in 2016, he paid his then-lawyer this money in instalments, claiming they were legal expenses.
Almost two years later, the court finally reached a decision concerning the President-elect, but what exactly has the 78-year-old received as a sentence?
Donald Trump receives an unconditional discharge
The court has given Donald Trump an unconditional discharge in the hush-money case, as per BBC News.
This means that the President-elect avoids prison, probation and a fine. The decision was made by Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan, who could have chosen to sentence Trump to four years in prison.
Before the judge announced his decision, Trump was allowed to speak. The President-elect, who until that moment hadn’t said more than ‘not guilty’, claimed he was ‘treated very unfairly’ and that the whole legal battle was to ‘damage his reputation’.
As per Sky News, he appeared via video link with his lawyer and said:
It was done to damage my reputation so I would lose the election. This has been a political witch hunt. I am totally innocent. I did nothing wrong. I was treated very unfairly and I thank you very much.
Moreover, just before announcing his decision, Judge Merchan explained that this case was something different for the court and was ‘unique and remarkable.’
Never before has this court been presented with such a unique and remarkable set of circumstances. This has been a truly extraordinary case.
Donald Trump received his verdict just 10 days before he will take office as the first US President with a felony conviction.
Donald Trump’s inauguration is on January 20
On November 5, 2024, it was decided by the citizens of the US that Donald Trump would be the next President. His inauguration is now coming up soon, on January 20, 2025.
In exactly a week, Donald Trump will become the 47th President of the US. As per Sky News, the ceremony will take place in Washington, DC, but what will happen during the transition between Joe Biden and Donald Trump?
First, as reported by Sky News, Trump’s vice president, JD Vance, who went viral for his eyes, will be the first to take his oath of office. He will then be followed by Trump. The oaths usually happen around midday, local time (around 5 pm in the UK).
Read more:
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Donald Trump: New book drops controversial claims about the President-elect
Sources used:
BBC News: ‘Trump avoids prison or fine in hush-money case sentencing’
Sky News: ‘Donald Trump says he's 'totally innocent' and thanks judge moments before no-penalty sentence in hush money case’
Sky News: ‘Donald Trump's inauguration: A guide to everything that will happen on 20 January’
Yahoo News: ‘When does Trump take office? What we know about the inauguration’
