Trump gets no jail time or penalties in sentence for hush money conviction

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass acknowledges that any other conditional discharge — meaning one with jail time, a fine or other penalty — has the potential to interfere with Trump’s obligations to the office of the presidency.

“We must be respectful of the office of the presidency” and his pending inauguration, Steinglass says.

Steinglass went on to say that a sentence of unconditional discharge preserves Trump’s status as a convicted felon while he pursues his appeals and, “It gives full effect and respect of the verdict while preserving the defendant’s ability to govern.”

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass points to Judge Juan Merchan’s previous comments that Trump’s conduct “constitutes a direct attack on the rule of law itself.”

“This defendant has caused enduring damage to the public perception of the criminal justice system,” Steinglass says.

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass tells the court that Trump has been “far from expressing any kind of remorse for his criminal conduct” and “encouraged others to reject the jury verdict.”

“He’s been unrelenting in his unsubstantiated attacks” on the court, prosecutors and the jury, Steinglass says of Trump.

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass is now listing off things he says President-elect Trump has done post-verdict to undermine the jury’s verdict.

As Steinglass started criticizing Trump, the president-elect leaned back in his chair and folded his arms, shaking his head side to side.

Donald Trump is shuffling in his chair while prosecutor John Steinglass speaks. He appears to be leaning forward to look at the screen.

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass recapped the case briefly and said, “The jury’s verdict in this case was unanimous and decisive and it must be respected.”

He noted that the felonies Trump was convicted of could come with a prison sentence or other punishments without jail time.

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass says they are recommending a sentence of unconditional discharge.

“Your honor indicated an inclination to impose an unconditional discharge under all the circumstances of this case, this unique posture and the defendant’s status as president elect, the people recommend a sentence of unconditional discharge,” he said.

“Let’s impose sentence, please,” Judge Juan Merchan says.

Judge Juan Merchan asks the prosecutors if there’s anything they’d like to put on the record about the probation report.

Prosecutor Josh Steinglass asks for more time to read it, indicating they hadn’t seen it yet.

Then Steinglass says they have nothing to add to the record.

Trump attorney Todd Blanche spoke briefly to Trump while Steinglass was finishing reading the probation report. They are muted.

On the video screen are four boxes. Judge Juan Merchan is on the upper left, President-elect Donald Trump and his attorney Todd Blanche are upper right, beneath them is his attorney Emil Bove and in the lower left is the prosecution table.

Trump is staring straight ahead while Merchan talks to Blanche.

President-elect Donald Trump’s attorney, Todd Blanche, says there are a few out of date facts in the probation report about other cases because of the date of the report. However, he says none of those details affect today’s hearing.

A probation report has been handed to the attorneys.

“Why don’t you take some time to look at it,” Judge Juan Merchan says.

Trump attorney Todd Blanche — who is appearing with Donald Trump virtually from Florida — confirms he received a copy of the probation report this morning

President-elect Donald Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche confirms they are appearing from Florida.

Judge Juan Merchan notes that Trump was allowed to appear in person or virtually and chose to appear virtually.

Judge Juan Merchan is on the bench.

The court clerks have also entered the courtroom and are calling the case.

President-elect Donald Trump and his attorney Todd Blanche are smiling as they wait for Trump’s sentencing in the hush money case to start.

President-elect Donald Trump appears remotely for a sentencing hearing in front of New York State Judge Juan Merchan in the criminal case in which he was convicted in 2024 on charges involving hush money paid to a porn star, at New York Criminal Court in Manhattan in New York City, on January 10.

President-elect Donald Trump is now visible on the screen, seated in front of an American flag and beside Todd Blanche, his attorney.

He is speaking a bit to Blanche, but there is no audio.

He is wearing a dark suit, white shirt and red tie with stripes.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has entered the courtroom.

He is seated in the galley behind the rest of the trial team.

President-elect Donald Trump’s attorney Emil Bove has entered the New York courtroom for today’s sentencing hearing.

He is alone at the defense table.

Prosecutors have entered the courtroom ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s sentencing hearing.

Prosecutors Joshua Steinglass, Christopher Conroy and Susan Hoffinger at the table. Matthew Colangelo and Rebecca Mangold are sitting behind them.

Even though President-elect Donald Trump’s legal team fought to block Friday’s sentencing hearing from happening, they believe it is a significant victory that after being convicted of 34 felonies their client will only get an unconditional discharge, which is less than the penalty for a speeding ticket, a source familiar with their thinking tells CNN.

Trump is of course unhappy about the New York hush money case and the sentencing that symbolizes his felony conviction, and that anger has driven their zealous appeals. But Trump’s lawyers see this as “checking a box” so they can appeal his conviction, the source said.

His lawyers believe it’s a victory after he faced four criminal cases that he is facing no punishments and gets to be president again. Two federal cases related to January 6 and his handling of classified documents have been dismissed, and a Georgia district attorney has been disqualified in another case over efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in that state.

Trump’s lawyers expect Friday’s hearing to last about 45 minutes. In addition to comments from the judge and prosecutors, Trump lawyer Todd Blanche will speak during virtual appearance alongside his client. Trump lawyer Emil Bove also will be in courtroom.

It’s not yet clear if Trump, who is appearing virtually, will speak at the sentencing, according to the source.

President-elect Donald Trump will be sentenced this morning in his hush money case. The sentencing hearing is scheduled at 9:30 a.m. ET.

Trump will appear virtually, according to a person familiar with the plans, and he’s expected to join the proceedings from Mar-a-Lago.

Trump was convicted last year on 34 charges of business fraud related to hush money payment to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign.

The Supreme Court didn’t help Donald Trump … this time.

The court’s decision to deny the president-elect’s last-minute effort to delay sentencing in his New York hush money case sets up a stunning moment – a court date just 10 days before Trump is sworn in for a second term.

Judge Juan Merchan has already said he won’t impose a jail term. But the sentencing hearing will nevertheless mean that Trump will be the first president to take office with a criminal conviction written into his official record.

The proximity of the sentencing to Trump’s inauguration will create a stunning juxtaposition. He will be a defendant subject to the authority of a judge and a jury verdict who will within days assume the vast powers of the presidency and become the ultimate guardian of the nation’s laws and the Constitution.

Thursday’s ruling – in which two conservatives sided with liberal justices – may in some small measure reassure those who believed that the court’s decisions had challenged the idea that every American, no matter their position in life, is equal before the law. But it will not quell the widespread anxiety among liberals that the conservative majority Trump built in his first term will show considerable deference to the commander in chief in a second administration that may test the rule of law and the Constitution more than his first.

Read the full analysis.

President-elect Donald Trump will appear virtually on Friday for sentencing in his hush money case, according to a person familiar with the plans.

He will join the proceedings from Mar-a-Lago. The sentencing hearing is scheduled at 9:30 a.m. ET.

On Thursday night, the Supreme Court allowed the sentencing to go on as scheduled.

Judge Juan M. Merchan sits for a portrait in his chambers in New York, March 14, 2024.

President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday attacked Judge Juan Merchan and said “this is a long way from finished” after the US Supreme Court ruled that Trump can be sentenced Friday in his hush money case.

“We’re going to appeal anyway, just psychologically, because frankly it’s a disgrace. It’s a judge that shouldn’t have been on the case,” Trump said as he addressed reporters at Mar-a-Lago.

Trump said, “They called for an appeal so I read it and I thought it was a fair decision, actually. So I’ll do my little thing tomorrow, they can have fun with their political opponent.”

“This is a long way from finished. And I respect the court’s opinion. It was a, I think it was actually a very good opinion for us because you saw what they said. But they invited the appeal, and the appeal is on the bigger issue,” Trump said.

“So we’ll see how it all works out. I think it’s going to work out well,” Trump said.

Tourists gather outside the Supreme Court on June 07, 2024 in Washington, DC.

President-elect Donald Trump can be sentenced Friday in his New York hush money case, the Supreme Court said in a 5-4 ruling.

The high court on Thursday rejected Trump’s emergency request to delay the proceeding, setting the stage for him to be sentenced just days before he is inaugurated on January 20 for a second term.

Four conservative justices – Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh — said they would have granted Trump’s request. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the court’s three liberals to side against Trump.

Judge Juan Merchan, the New York judge who oversaw Trump’s trial, had ordered sentencing in the case for Friday morning but has signaled that Trump will face neither penalties nor prison time.

The sentencing hearing is scheduled for Friday at 9:30 a.m. ET.

In a brief, one-paragraph statement, the court said that some of Trump’s concerns could be handled “in the ordinary course on appeal.” The court also reasoned that the burden sentencing would impose on Trump’s responsibilities is “relatively insubstantial” in light of the trial court’s stated intent to impose no penalty.

Read more about the ruling here.

Donald Trump departs the courtroom after being found guilty on all 34 counts in his hush money trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 30, 2024 in New York City.

President-elect Donald Trump is set to be sentenced today on charges of business fraud related to hush money payment to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election.

Here’s what you need to know about the case:

Trump was first indicted in March 2023 by the Manhattan district attorney on state charges related to a hush-money payment to an adult-film star in 2016.

On May 30, 2024 he was found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree by 12 jurors. Prosecutors alleged during the trial that Trump was a part of an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 election.

Further they alleged he was part of an unlawful plan to suppress negative information and over payment to his then-lawyer Michael Cohen to reimburse a $130,000 hush money payment made to adult-film star Stormy Daniels to keep her from speaking out about an alleged affair before the 2016 election — Trump has denied the affair.

On November 19, 2024, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office told Judge Juan Merchan it would agree to delay Trump’s sentencing, which had been set for November 26, to allow time for the anticipated litigation around the president-elect’s expected motion to dismiss the case.

On November 22, 2024, Merchan indefinitely postponed the sentencing and granted Trump’s request to file a motion to dismiss the case.

On January 3, 2025, Merchan rejected Trump’s effort to throw out the jury’s verdict because of his reelection in November and upheld the conviction.

Merchan set a sentencing hearing for January 10, 2025, but indicated the case is essentially over.

Trump is set to be sworn in as president in less than two weeks.