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President-elect Donald Trump received a sentence in New York on Friday morning related to the “hush money” case. Judge Juan Merchan has granted Trump an “unconditional discharge,” a decision that was not contested by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office.

According to New York state law, this type of sentence is characterized as one that does not involve imprisonment, fines, or probation supervision. Such a ruling may be deemed appropriate when the judge believes that imposing any conditions on the defendant’s release would not serve a legitimate purpose.

This approach effectively allows for the resolution of the hush money case without necessitating incarceration or penalties that could obstruct Trump’s potential bid for the presidency.

At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Merchan offered words of encouragement to Trump, stating, “Sir, I wish you godspeed as you assume your second term in office.”

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass informed the judge that the District Attorney’s office is advocating for a sentence of “unconditional discharge.” This recommendation aims to maintain Trump’s status as a convicted felon while he continues to pursue his appeals. Following Steinglass’s remarks, Trump addressed the court, expressing his discontent.

“This has been an extremely unfortunate experience and a setback for the New York judicial system,” Trump stated, appearing virtually from Mar-a-Lago. His attorney, Todd Blanche, characterized the day as “sad” for the United States.

“It is indeed a sad day. It is a sad day for President Trump, his family, and friends, but from our perspective, it is also a sad day for this nation. Much of what the government has articulated assumes that this case is legally justified,” Blanche remarked. He emphasized that Trump’s legal team plans to appeal the verdict.

“A significant portion of the American populace also believes that this case should not have been initiated,” Blanche added.

“I strongly disagree with many of the assertions made by the government regarding this case, the validity of the proceedings in this courtroom during the trial, and President Trump’s actions in contesting this case,” Blanche asserted.

“It has been a political witch hunt; it was orchestrated to tarnish my reputation,” Trump stated. He also referenced his anticipated victory in the 2024 election, claiming he won the popular vote by “millions and millions of votes” and highlighting his success in all seven swing states.

“They have been observing your trial, so they comprehended it,” Trump remarked regarding the voters.

The assertion made by Trump in court was, “I am completely innocent. I have committed no wrongdoing.” Following the investigation led by District Attorney Bragg, a jury found the current president-elect guilty of first-degree falsification of business records. Judge Merchan has set the sentencing date for Trump in the case of New York v. Trump for January 10. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has appealed the verdict; however, Merchan rejected his appeal last week.

In response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision not to intervene in his sentencing scheduled for Friday morning regarding the “hush money” case, Trump expressed his thoughts on Wednesday night. The Supreme Court, in a narrow 5-4 ruling, sided against Trump, with conservative Justices John Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett joining the liberal justices.

Trump characterized the situation as “lawfare,” claiming it represents an assault on the Republican Party. He stated, “This was an attack on the Republican candidate who achieved a record-breaking election victory—the highest number of Republican votes ever received, and we triumphed in all the swing states, winning the popular vote by millions.” He further asserted, “They attempted to prevent that from occurring—they sought to disrupt this election or to damage someone so severely that they could not win.”