Trump Receives Unconditional Discharge in Hush Money Case

President-elect Donald Trump received an 'unconditional discharge' in his hush money case, marking him as the first U.S. president to enter office with a felony conviction. The New York jury had previously convicted him of 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records concerning a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election campaign. Judge Juan Merchan's sentence, which comes just days before Trump's inauguration, involved no jail time or fines, effectively concluding the case while leaving the conviction on his record. Trump, appearing via video from his Mar-a-Lago residence, maintained his innocence and described the legal proceedings as a 'political witch hunt.' His legal team had attempted to delay sentencing, but the U.S. Supreme Court rejected this request. Trump has expressed intent to appeal the verdict while continuing to criticize the prosecution as a tactic aimed at damaging his reputation.