On Friday, New York Judge Juan Merchan sentenced President-elect Donald Trump, making him the first felon to become President.
Merchan sentenced Trump to an unconditional discharge, which eschews any prison time or probation but cements his status as a convicted felon.
“After careful analysis and obedience of government mandates, pursuant of law, the court feels the only sentence is an unconditional discharge, which is a lawful and permissible sentence for falsifying business records,” Merchan said.
“I impose that sentence for all 34 counts, and sir, I wish you godspeed as you pursue your second term in office,” he said.
Trump, in remarks virtually to the judge inside the courtroom, said that his experience throughout his criminal case in Manhattan has been “very terrible,” calling it a “tremendous setback for New York and the New York court system.”
“He said I was falsifying business records; I was calling a legal expense a legal expense,” Trump said, reiterating a defense argument from trial.
“It’s an injustice of justice,” he added.
Trump was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in the Manhattan case in May 2024.
Friday’s sentencing comes after multiple efforts to appeal the decision. On Thursday, the Supreme Court rejected Trump’s final effort to stay sentencing proceedings.
Article Published With The Permission of Great America News Desk.
