A judge has sentenced US President-elect Donald Trump to “unconditional release”, ending the first criminal trial of a former US president.
The ruling in the illicit payments case means that the next president has been spared any punishment, including imprisonment or a fine, but will still hold office as the first US president to be convicted of a felony.
“Never before has this court been faced with such a unique and remarkable set of circumstances,” Judge Juan Merchan said shortly before announcing the ruling, describing it as “a truly exceptional case.”
Trump, who appeared via video call from Florida, flanked by his lawyer and two prominent American flags, declared that he was “completely innocent.”
It was the first time in this year-and-a-half legal saga that Trump uttered more than just “not guilty” or offered a brief affirmative answer.
After having the opportunity to speak before the sentencing, Trump criticized the case for several minutes.
“This was a very horrific experience,” he said.
He claimed that there was a “weaponization” of the judicial system and claimed that the case was brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for political reasons.
“I would like to point out that I was treated very unfairly, and I thank you very much,” he said before falling silent.
As Bragg watched Trump address him directly for the first time, he maintained a mostly stoic expression. However, he laughed when Trump claimed Bragg never wanted to bring the case.
After Trump spoke, Judge Merchan took several moments to reflect on the “paradox” of the trial.
Judge Merchan noted that despite the media and political hype outside, “once the courtroom doors closed, the case was not as unique as all the other cases occurring at the same time.”
But he added that after Trump's conviction, the case took another turn when the American people elected him in November for a second presidential term.
After careful consideration, he decided that “the only lawful provision, short of infringement on the highest office in the land,” was unconditional release—a provision that would allow the American people to have a president unencumbered by pending court proceedings.
A New York jury convicted Trump of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in May 2024. His sentencing has been delayed several times due to Supreme Court rulings and the November presidential election.
The charges stem from a conspiracy to cover up a payment to an adult film star in the final days of the 2016 election. Prosecutors said the payment was a form of election interference intended to keep vital information from voters, thus breaking the law.
In October 2016, Trump's then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid a woman called Stormy Daniels $130,000 (£106,000) to keep quiet about an alleged years-long sexual encounter with the soon-to-be president.
After his election, Trump repaid Cohen in installments, then falsely registered them as legal expenses. Each of Trump's convictions is linked to a forged document relating to a cover-up.
Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and denied having a sexual relationship with Daniels. He repeatedly claimed that the case was politically motivated persecution.
The six-week trial turned into a legal, political and media storm. Larger-than-life figures like Cohen and Daniels took the stand to face questioning by Trump's lawyers.
Trump has been bringing a series of family members and Republican allies to court with him each day to fill the seats behind his defense table. Each day, he turned a small media pen in the hallway outside the courthouse into his personal pulpit, taking advantage of opportunities to protest the justice system, the press and other opponents.
Trump also used the uproar of the trial to gather millions of supporters for his legal battles and campaign to reclaim the White House.
In the intervening four years in office, Trump has been indicted in four separate criminal cases, including his own case in New York. In the end, this was the only person brought to trial.
On the campaign trail and on social media, Trump used his legal morass to paint himself — and his supporters — as victims of a rigged justice system.
Despite multiple indictments, including two centered on his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, Trump decisively defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in November.
His victory led to the dismissal of two federal prosecutions against him, including a federal election interference case and a case related to the mishandling of classified documents. The third case, the election interference case in Fulton County, Georgia, has been stuck in a series of delays and side drama for months.
Trump's financial trial has only reached its conclusion, after Judge Merchan hesitated in early January and demanded that Trump appear virtually or in person to issue his ruling.
But the battles did not stop there. Trump's lawyers filed frantic appeals and even petitioned the US Supreme Court to halt Friday's hearing.
The Supreme Court rejected it in a brief order issued on Thursday evening.
They also fought to have the case dismissed, arguing that elected presidents are immune from criminal prosecution, an argument that Judge Merchan rejected but continued to argue before the higher courts.
When Trump's trial in New York was postponed last Friday, it also ended this particularly fraught chapter in his personal and political history.
When he is sworn in 10 days from now, he will do so as the first American president to be convicted of a felony.
As his ruling concluded on Friday, Judge Merchan had a final message for Trump.
“I wish you well as you serve your second term,” he said.
