President Donald Trump Sentenced in New York – Is He Looking at Jail Time?

NEW YORK (KPEL News) - President-elect Donald Trump has become the first president in U.S. history to be sentenced after a felony conviction - but he will face no jail time.

A New York judge delivered an "unconditional discharge" to the former and incoming president, meaning that while he conviction is on his record, he will receive no jail time after being convicted of dozens of counts of falsifying business records.

Get our free mobile app

Judge Stephan Merchan, who has been frequently attacked by the former president and his supporters, said the decision was the "only lawful sentence" he could impose, given the circumstances. While the office of the president does come with protections, he noted, those protections “do not have the power to erase a jury verdict.”

No Action from the Supreme Court

Trump's legal team filed a last-minute request to the Supreme Court to block the sentencing. However, two of the court's conservatives, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett, sided with the three liberal justices in denying the request.

In their denial, the Supreme Court stated that because the judge was planning a discharge, there was no need to. To some, the decision of the two conservatives was disheartening.

"The whole point of immunity is to protect those possessing it from the process," wrote legal expert Susie Moore of RedState. "And merely because Judge Merchan has signaled he doesn't intend to slap Trump all that hard, that should not obviate the core principle involved here. I largely expected the left-leaners of the court to rule the way they did."

"That Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney-Barrett chose to do so as well and based on such a simplistic, ends-justify-means rationale is extraordinarily disheartening," she added.

The Reaction to Trump's Sentencing

The outrage is certainly bipartisan across social media as supporters of President Trump argue that the case against him was lawfare.

Meanwhile, those opposed to his presidency demand to know why he is "getting off scot free."

What's Next for Trump?

As President-elect, Trump is extremely busy in the days leading up to his second inauguration. Not only with who he has named to be part of his administration and preparing for his first days in office, but in holding meetings with lawmakers and other key figures in American politics.

He will be inaugurated on January 20 in Washington D.C., and from there will begin his second term as President of the United States.

Get our free mobile app