Trump Goes Scorched Earth On Manhattan Court During Sentencing

President-elect Donald Trump expressed anger and frustration following the sentencing in his Manhattan hush money case, delivering a sharp rebuke to Judge Juan Merchan.

In audio released by the court, Trump described the entire trial as a “great embarrassment.”

“This has been a very terrible experience,” Trump stated during his virtual appearance at the sentencing. “I think it’s been a tremendous setback for New York and the New York court system.”

Trump went on to criticize the origins of the case: “This is a case that Alvin Bragg did not want to bring. He thought it was, from what I read and from what I hear, inappropriately handled before he got there. And a gentleman from a law firm came in and acted as a district attorney,” Trump said. “And that gentleman, from what I heard, was a criminal or almost criminal in what he did. It was very inappropriate. It was somebody involved with my political opponent.”

He continued, calling the case a “great embarrassment” for the state: “New York has a lot of problems, but this is a great embarrassment.”

“It’s been a political witch hunt,” Trump declared. “It was done to damage my reputation so that I’d lose the election. And obviously, that didn’t work. The people of our country got to see this firsthand because they watched the case in your courtroom. They got to see this firsthand. And then they voted, and I won.”

Assistant District Attorney Josh Steinglass argued that the evidence against Trump was “overwhelming” and accused the president-elect of causing “enduring damage to public perception of the criminal justice system.” Steinglass also noted that Trump’s remarks about the trial had endangered court officials.

Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche pushed back, saying, “I very, very much disagree with much of what the government just said about this case, about the legitimacy of what happened in this courtroom during the trial, and about President Trump’s conduct fighting this case from before it was indicted, while it was indicted, to the jury’s verdict, and even to this day.”

Judge Merchan ultimately sentenced Trump to an “unconditional discharge,” a decision that the Manhattan District Attorney’s office did not contest.

Under New York state law, an unconditional discharge is a sentence without imprisonment, fines, or probation supervision. The law allows such a sentence when the judge believes “no proper purpose would be served by imposing any condition upon the defendant’s release.”

This outcome resolved the case without requiring jail time or penalties that might interfere with Trump’s potential return to the White House.

Judge Merchan concluded the hearing with encouraging remarks for Trump.

“Sir, I wish you godspeed as you assume your second term in office,” the judge said.

Prosecutor Steinglass explained that the DA’s office recommended the unconditional discharge to preserve Trump’s status as a convicted felon while he pursued appeals.

After hearing the prosecutor’s recommendation, Trump delivered a final statement: “This has been a very terrible experience and a setback for the New York court system,” he said from Mar-a-Lago.

Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche called the day “sad” for the nation.

“It’s a very sad day. It’s a sad day for President Trump, for his family and friends, but also in counsel’s view, a sad day for this country. A lot of what the government just said presupposes that this case is legally appropriate,” Blanche remarked, adding that Trump intends to appeal the verdict.