In a significant legal development, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has been cleared of charges related to an alleged hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. The ruling, delivered by New York Judge Juan Marchan on January 10, 2025, grants Trump an unconditional discharge, meaning he will face no jail time, fines, or any further legal action.
The case stems from a 2006 incident, when Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, claimed to have had a sexual encounter with Trump at a hotel in Nevada. In 2016, as Trump campaigned for the presidency, his personal lawyer arranged a $130,000 payment to Daniels in exchange for her silence about the affair. The payment was allegedly concealed in Trump’s business records to avoid public scrutiny.
Trump has consistently denied both the affair and the hush money payment, asserting that the charges were politically motivated. He maintains that the Biden administration orchestrated the case in an attempt to hinder his bid for the presidency.
In May 2024, Trump was indicted on 34 counts in relation to the case. However, Judge Marchan's ruling means that while Trump's legal record will reflect the guilty verdict, he will not face any penalties such as imprisonment, fines, or probation, thanks to the "unconditional discharge" provision.
This ruling comes just days ahead of Trump’s inauguration as the 46th President of the United States, scheduled for January 20, 2025. Although the case garnered widespread attention, Judge Marchan emphasized that it was treated like any other case in the legal system.