Trump’s Last Move Fails: Judge Denies Appeal, Prison Next – Rachel Maddow
Trump is now the first president in American history to serve while convicted of felony crimes. And that’s not an opinion — it’s a legal fact.
Back in May 2024, a jury found Donald Trump guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records tied to hush money payments during the 2016 election. After months of delays and appeals, the Supreme Court refused to block sentencing. That decision cleared the way for Judge Juan Merchan to act.
On January 10th, Trump was sentenced to unconditional discharge — no jail, no fines, no probation. But the conviction stands. It’s on his record. He is officially a convicted felon.
This outcome exposes a hard truth about American justice: an ordinary person convicted of 34 felonies would face real punishment. Trump avoided it because he won an election.
The appeals will continue, but history won’t change. The United States now has a sitting president who was found guilty by a jury of his peers — and that raises serious questions about accountability, power, and whether the rule of law applies equally to everyone.