A New York court has ruled that Donald Trump, the designated US President, will face no punishment in the case of falsified business records. On Friday, the court announced an “unconditional discharge”, which means Trump will not serve a prison sentence, pay a fine, or face probation.

Judge Juan Merchan justified the decision, stating that a prison sentence would have hindered Trump’s future official duties. Although the guilty verdict remains, Trump was previously found guilty in 34 counts of falsifying business records in May 2022.