US President-elect Donald Trump to get a major relief in his hush money criminal case days before his return to the White House.
According to BBC, in a recent turn of events, the US judge on Friday, January 3, 2025, set Trump's hush money case sentencing for January 20, 2025, in New York, ten days before his swearing-in ceremony.
New York Justice Juan Merchan signalled that he would not sentence the upcoming president to jail time, fines, or probation and would grant him an “unconditional discharge.”
He also allowed Trump to appear in the hearing in person as well as virtually.
The 78-year-old tried to use his presidential victory to dismiss the criminal case against him but could not succeed.
Moreover, Trump’s team criticised the judge's order and described the decision of sentencing as “lawless” and said the case should be dismissed “immediately.”
Trump's spokesperson, Steven Cheung, called Judge Merchan's sentencing order part of a"witch hunt."
He said, “President Trump must be allowed to continue the presidential transition process and to execute the vital duties of the presidency, unobstructed by the remains of this or any remnants of the witch hunts. There should be no sentencing, and President Trump will continue fighting against these hoaxes until they are all dead."
For the unversed, Trump was convicted in the hush money case in May 2024 for 34 felony counts of falsifying business records linked to a $130,000 (£105,000) payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
