Inside the Courtroom: Moments that Shaped the Ruling
Judge Merchan’s Perspective
Over the past year, prosecutors alleged that Trump’s business records masked hush money payments intended to bury information detrimental to his earlier presidential campaigns. Judge Juan Merchan found Trump guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records. Yet, in a surprise twist, the Judge opted for an unconditional discharge:
“Unconditional discharge has been affirmed as appropriate. I impose it,”
– Judge Juan Merchan, from the bench Friday.
Observers noted that Judge Merchan described the trial as “extraordinary” and recognized the unprecedented scenario of sentencing a President-elect just ten days before his inauguration, but he did it anyways.
Trump’s In-Court Reaction
Addressing the court immediately after sentencing, Trump expressed a mixture of relief and frustration:
“This has been a very terrible experience,” he said. “I am totally innocent. I did nothing wrong.”
While the lack of penalties might seem like a relief, Trump insisted that the conviction itself remains unjust.