Trump avoids jail or punishment at hush money sentencing days before inauguration

Justice Juan Merchan's sentencing of Trump, 78, to unconditional discharge places a judgment of guilt on his record and closes a case that had loomed over Trump's bid to retake the White House.

Trump will be the first president to take office with a felony criminal conviction.

Merchan said he was imposing the sentence sparing Trump jail, a fine or probation because the U.S. Constitution shields presidents from criminal prosecution.

But he said the protections afforded to the office "do not reduce the seriousness of a crime or justify its commission in any way."

"The considerable, indeed extraordinary, legal protection afforded by the office of the chief executive is a factor that overrides all others," Merchan said.

"Despite the extraordinary breadth of those protections, one power they do not provide is the power to erase jury verdicts."

Trump pleaded not guilty and has vowed to appeal the guilty verdict. Appearing with his lawyer on TV screens beamed to the courtroom with two American flags in the background, Trump called the case an unsuccessful attempt to thwart his re-election campaign.

"This has been a very terrible experience," Trump said before sentencing, wearing a red tie with white stripes.

"I'm totally innocent, I did nothing wrong," he said.