On January 10, 2025, Donald Trump, the presumptive US president, will be sentenced in the hush-money case.

Trump was found guilty in May of falsifying business documents pertaining to a $130,000 payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels. The hearing is set for just 10 days before his inauguration — on January 20.
The money was given to Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign in order to silence her regarding a purported romance she had with Trump.

The case resulted in Trump's conviction on 34 felony counts of committing the serious crime of fabricating corporate records.

But a judge has decided that Trump will not be imprisoned for his crimes, even though he was found guilty.

According to the case's presiding judge, Juan Merchan, Trump will not be imprisoned.

The judge's recommendation is for a "unconditional discharge," which means Trump won't be subject to probation, fines, or any jail time. Given the circumstances, this sentence is thought to be the most practical choice.

Trump’s defense team had argued that sentencing him while he is about to begin his presidency could create unnecessary challenges and impede his ability to govern.

The legal team expressed concerns that the case could overshadow his administration and distract from his presidential duties.

Originally, Trump was supposed to be sentenced on November 26, 2024. However, the sentencing was postponed following his victory in the presidential election.

The new date, January 10, is now just days before he takes office, which has added further attention to the case.

While Trump has not publicly responded to the latest developments, his legal team has made it clear that they will continue to fight the charges.

Trump has maintained that he did nothing wrong and has denied any wrongdoing in the case.