President-elect Donald Trump has been sentenced to an unconditional discharge, making him the first president in US history to be convicted of a felony.
In May 2024 Mr Trump was found guilty by a jury on 34 counts of falsifying business records in relation to money paid to the former porn star Stormy Daniels in the run up to the 2016 presidential election.
Mr Trump attended the New York trial virtually from his home in Palm Beach, Florida where he had been told in advance that he would not face jail or probation.
Throughout the week Mr Trump’s lawyers had worked until the eleventh hour to gain a legal postponement which they claimed was required due to “constitutional issues,” but their efforts were to no avail.
His lawyers told the justices: “Forcing President Trump to defend a criminal case and appear for a criminal sentencing hearing at the apex of the Presidential transition creates a constitutionally intolerable risk of disruption to national security and America’s vital interests.”
Throughout the trial, which Mr Trump was compelled to attend, the jury heard evidence from 22 witnesses, including Stormy Daniels, who sat the centre of a trial that divided America.
Trump had called the trial “rigged” throughout and vowed to “fight the verdict.” His sentencing today shows that that fight, which was presented in front of the Republican-majority Supreme Court, was unsuccessful .
The pair had had a consentual, sexual relationship a decade before Donald Trump’s bid to become US president for the first time.
In the run up to the 2016 election, Mr Trump’s campaign had been rocked by a series of scandals, including the release of audio footage in which he spoke of being able to grab women by their genitalia.
The allegations of which he was subsequently found guilty relate to a payment made by his lawyer Michael Cohen which prosecuters successfully argued was made to ensure her silence on the matter.
The guilty verdicts relate to the falsifying of business records to disguise the $130,000 payment and illegally influencing the election by hiding the transaction, acts which are illegal under federal law.
