Court has ruled: Trump remains a convicted felon

By Christina Horsten and Christiane Jacke

Washington/New York - US President-elect Donald Trump has escaped without punishment in the hush-money trial in New York. However, the guilty verdict against the 78-year-old remains in place. Trump will therefore move into the White House on January 20 as a convicted felon.

At the sentencing in the hush money trial, Judge Juan Merchan - as previously announced - imposed an "unconditional discharge" against the Republican, as US media, including the New York Times and CNN, unanimously reported from the courtroom.

Although this form of conviction does not entail any further criminal consequences such as a prison sentence or fine, it does establish legal guilt - in accordance with the jury's verdict of guilty.

Trump was only present at the sentencing via video.

This very rarely used sentence is unlikely to have any direct impact on Trump's presidency; it is more of a symbolic nature. Nevertheless, Trump tried with all his might to avert this step at the last minute - probably out of concern for his public image.

For the first time in the history of the USA, a convicted felon is now ascending to the highest office in the land.

The trial concerned the illegal concealment of 130,000 US dollars in hush money that Trump had paid to porn actress Stormy Daniels - with the aim of gaining advantages in the 2016 election campaign, according to the court.

A jury in New York found Trump guilty of 34 charges at the end of May 2024.

It was the first time in the history of the United States that a former president was convicted of a criminal offense.

First reported at 4.21 p.m., last updated at 4.42 p.m.