Donald Trump received an unconditional discharge for his hush-money conviction involving a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels. Judge Merchan highlighted the unique legal protections for presidents but emphasized their actions do not justify abuse.

NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump was sentenced Friday in his hush money case, but the judge declined to impose any punishment, an outcome that cements his conviction but frees him to return to the White House unencumbered by the threat of a jail term or a fine.

The US president-elect was convicted for falsifying business records relating to a payment made to adult-film star Stormy Daniels.

The New York judge who presided over Donald Trump’s hush money case on Friday sentenced the president-elect to an “unconditional discharge,” meaning he is now a convicted felon in the eyes of New York state law but will face no further penalties.

In a singular moment in US history, President-elect Donald Trump will be sentenced for his hush-money conviction after the nation’s highest court refused to intervene.

Donald Trump was convicted in May on 34 counts of falsifying business records. He was sentenced Friday in a New York court.

Follow live updates and the latest news coverage as Trump attends his sentencing hearing with Judge Juan Merchan following jury conviction in his hush money case.

President-elect Trump is expected to be sentenced Friday after being found guilty on charges of falsifying business records stemming from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s years-long investigation.

Donald Trump was not punished for his criminal conviction in the Manhattan hush money case, bringing a lackluster end to the legal saga that will make him the country’s first felon-turned-president. At a sentencing hearing on Friday,