NEW YORK — In a historic moment marking the first-time sentencing of a former president in a criminal court, Donald Trump participated in a virtual hearing from his residence in Palm Beach, Florida. The proceedings, which lasted just over half an hour, included a six-minute statement from Trump and a seven-minute address from the judge. Ultimately, Trump faced no penalties despite being convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to payments made to attorney Michael Cohen, who had disbursed hush money to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
During the hearing, Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass and one of Trump’s defense lawyers presented their arguments before Judge Juan M. Merchan, who then announced an unconditional discharge as the formal sentence. This marked a significant moment in legal history for both the presidency and the American judicial system.
In his remarks, Trump expressed that the entire ordeal had been a challenging experience for him and a major setback for New York. “This has been a tremendous setback for New York and the New York court system,” he stated, emphasizing that the situation was an embarrassment not only to him but to New York as a whole, which he described as facing many other problems.
Further commenting on the nature of the charges, Trump stated, “The falsification of business records was simply recording a legal expense accurately in the company books. I didn’t categorize these types of fees; accountants did. I was indicted for this. It’s remarkable.” He criticized the prosecution as a politically motivated attack meant to tarnish his reputation before the election, which he claimed had ultimately failed.
Judge Merchan remarked on the unusual and unique circumstances of the case, indicating that although it was a significant trial, it was not particularly different from many other criminal cases that had been handled in the court. He clarified that the protections associated with the presidency did not mitigate the seriousness of the offenses or absolve Trump’s actions in any way. “The fact that Donald Trump holds the highest office does not provide him immunity from being held accountable,” he stated firmly while also implying that the court’s only lawful course of action was to impose an unconditional discharge.
Assistant District Attorney Steinglass addressed the court emphasizing that the jury’s decision was unanimous and thereby should be respected. He accused Trump of undermining the legitimacy of the judicial system. “The defendant has engaged in acts that have damaged public trust in the criminal justice system,” he stated, making it clear that the prosecution viewed Trump’s behavior as detrimental not only to the case but also to the wider public perception of legal institutions.
Defense attorney Todd Blanche also made his case, arguing that the American electorate had successfully assessed the merits of the case during the election. He noted that in just ten days, Trump would begin his second term as president. Reflecting on the proceedings, Blanche described the day as disheartening for Trump and expressed sadness over the implications for the country, asserting that such legal actions shouldn’t recur in the future.
Blanche concluded by stating their intention to appeal the verdict while contesting the validity of the case itself. He maintained that the most appropriate outcome for Trump should be an unconditional discharge, reiterating his belief in the injustice of these legal proceedings against the former president.
