President-elect Donald Trump has been sentenced for covering up hush money payments.
A New York judge handed Trump an “”, meaning he won’t face jail or a fine.
He’s the first president in U.S. history to receive a criminal sentencing.
In May, Trump was found guilty ofto hide payments he made to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
Here’s what you need to know.
Background
When Trump ran for President in 2016, he arranged for a series of payments to be sent to adult film star Stormy Daniels totalling $US130,000 ($AU208,000).
Daniels claims she had sex with Trump a decade before his 2016 election bid, which he denied.
Prosecutors said Trump made the payments via his lawyer, Michael Cohen, as part of an effort to conceal negative stories about him in the lead-up to the election. The payments were disguised as legitimate expenses.
A six-week criminal trial took place in the state of New York in April, and resulted in Trump being found guilty on all 34 counts of covering up the hush money payments. Trump had pleaded not guilty and described the trial as “rigged”.
Trump’s lawyers unsuccessfully attempted to throw out the conviction. They argued he couldn’t be convicted after the Supreme Court, the top court in the U.S, found presidents were immune from criminal responsibility when carrying out their official duties.
A final appeal to the Supreme Court was rejected yesterday.
Judge’s sentence
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New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan handed down the sentence earlier today.
Merchan imposed an “unconditional discharge” on Trump. This sentence carries
This sentence was chosen because it “permits entry of judgment of conviction without encroaching on the highest office of the land,” the judge said.
The criminal conviction will be marked against Trump’s name, but the sentence is largely symbolic.
Significance
Trump is the first U.S. President to be sentenced for a crime. He will be sworn in again in less than two weeks.
Trump’s crimes are classified as “felonies”, meaning they are considered serious. As a convicted felon, he won’t be able to buy a gun in most U.S. states.
Some countries also restrict felons from entering, meaning Trump might need permission to visit.
Response
During the hearing, Trump said the case and sentence had been a “very terrible experience”. He added: “The fact is, I’m totally innocent.”
The President-elect will now be able to appeal the conviction.
He is unable to pardon himself however, because the presidential power to wipe convictions does not extend to state charges.
