Donald Trump was sentenced without penalty in the New York hush money case Friday after a symbolic – and historic and unprecedented – hearing following the first felony conviction of a former and soon-to-be sitting president.

Justice Juan M. Merchan gave Donald J. Trump a symbolic punishment. The judge said that leniency was due the office of the president, not the man who will soon hold the title.

The charges related to payments Trump’s company made to a lawyer, Michael Cohen, to reimburse him for paying off porn actor Stormy Daniels during Trump’s 2016 Republican presidential campaign.

On Friday, a New York judge imposed a sentence that ensures Donald Trump will be the first convicted felon to enter the White House when he is sworn in as president on Jan. 20. It was a brief and relatively calm final encounter of Trump's relationship with Justice Juan Merchan over 21 months and featured accusations of political bias from the former and stern dressings-down from the latter.

Despite his best efforts to stall proceedings, Donald Trump will be handed a sentence. Here is the news to know on Friday.

President-elect Donald Trump was sentenced Jan. 10 to an unconditional discharge, in which a defendant isn’t fined, imprisoned or given probation. Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in May 2024.

The judge, as expected, imposes no penalty. The outcome in Trump's felony case cements his conviction but frees him to return to the White House unencumbered by the threat of jail or a fine.