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President-elect Donald Trump emphatically denied any wrongdoing during his sentencing hearing on Friday, standing by his innocence in the face of a criminal conviction tied to hush money payments.
Trump’s defiant remarks and his refusal to accept accountability highlighted his ongoing battle with the legal system, even as he prepares to assume the presidency in just ten days.
“The fact is, I’m totally innocent,” Trump told Judge Juan Merchan. “This has been a very terrible experience—a tremendous setback for New York and the New York court system.”
His comments came as Merchan sentenced him to an unconditional discharge, a rare legal outcome that avoids prison or probation but cements Trump’s status as a convicted felon.
The hearing lasted approximately 40 minutes and was conducted virtually, with Trump joining from a remote location alongside his attorney, Todd Blanche. Dressed in a dark blazer, white shirt, red tie, and lapel pin, Trump appeared composed but visibly frustrated.
He described his case as an “injustice of justice,” doubling down on his long-standing claims that the Manhattan court system had been politically weaponized against him.
Shortly after the hearing concluded, Trump took to Truth Social to lambaste the proceedings. “The American People have spoken, by re-electing me with an overwhelming MANDATE,” he wrote.
“Today’s hearing was nothing more than a despicable charade. This ‘case’ had no crime, no damages, no proof, no facts, no Law—only a highly conflicted Judge, a star witness who is a disbarred, disgraced, serial perjurer, and blatant Election Interference.”
The charges stem from a $130,000 payment made to porn actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election campaign to allegedly cover up an affair.
Trump has consistently denied the affair, claiming the payment was unrelated to his candidacy. Prosecutors argued that the payment was falsely classified as a legal expense in an attempt to obscure its true purpose: influencing the outcome of the election.
Trump’s legal team, led by Blanche, maintained that the case was politically motivated and should never have been pursued. “The majority of the American people also agree that this case should not have been brought,” Blanche told the court.
“The voters got a chance to decide for themselves, and they overwhelmingly chose Trump to lead this country again.” Blanche also confirmed that Trump plans to appeal the conviction.
During the hearing, Trump restated his trial defense, arguing that his classification of the payment was accurate. “He said I was falsifying business records; I was calling a legal expense a legal expense,” Trump said.
His remarks were consistent with his longstanding position that the case was a baseless attack aimed at undermining his political future.
Judge Merchan’s decision to impose an unconditional discharge—an unusual sentence that does not include prison time, probation, or fines—allows Trump to move forward with his planned appeals.
Legal experts have noted that while the sentence spares Trump from immediate penalties, it solidifies the legal precedent set by his conviction, potentially complicating future efforts to challenge the case.
Trump’s sentencing marks the culmination of a high-profile trial in which New York jurors found him guilty in May of 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records.
The charges alleged that Trump orchestrated a scheme to conceal the payment to Daniels in a bid to sway the outcome of the 2016 election.
While Trump’s legal team has vowed to appeal, the sentencing also underscores the broader implications of his conviction. As the first U.S. president to be convicted of a felony, Trump faces ongoing legal battles that could further complicate his return to the White House.
In addition to challenging the legitimacy of the charges, Trump’s attorneys are pursuing appeals tied to presidential immunity, arguing that his actions during the campaign should be shielded from prosecution.
In the political arena, Trump’s conviction has only intensified the deep divisions among voters. Supporters view the case as a politically motivated attack designed to thwart his return to power, while critics argue that his conviction underscores the importance of holding public officials accountable for alleged misconduct.
Despite the legal and political turmoil, Trump remains steadfast in his claims of innocence and his commitment to leading the country.
“This is not just about me—it’s about the future of our nation,” Trump declared during the hearing. “The American People have spoken, and we will not be silenced.”
As Trump prepares to take the oath of office once again, his legal battles are far from over. With appeals pending and political tensions running high, his conviction adds a new layer of complexity to an already unprecedented presidency.
Whether his legal strategy will succeed in overturning the charges remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: Trump’s fight is far from finished.
