Vikrant Shekhawat : Jan 04, 2025, 08:09 AM
Donald Trump News: Donald Trump, who is to be sworn in as the President of the United States on January 20, is facing a major legal crisis. Judge Juan Merchan has announced sentencing on January 10 in the 'hush money' case going on against him. The case is related to paying money to silence porn star Stormy Daniels, and the verdict may come just 10 days before Trump's swearing-in. However, the judge has also indicated that Trump will not be jailed.The judge rejected Trump's argumentsOn Friday, Judge Juan Merchan rejected the arguments of Trump's lawyers, which demanded cancellation of the sentence. Trump's lawyers said that he should be exempted from punishment due to the swearing-in. But the judge made it clear that Trump would get a 'conditional discharge'. This means that if Trump does not commit any other crime in the future, this case can be canceled. Still, this decision is a big setback for Trump, as it can have a profound impact on his image.What is the whole matter of 'hush money'?The root of this controversy is during the 2016 presidential election campaign. At that time, Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen gave a huge amount of money to porn star Stormy Daniels to keep quiet. Daniels claimed that she had physical relations with Trump, which was paid to hide. However, Trump outright rejected these allegations and said that this payment was made to save the honor of his marriage and family, and not for electoral gain.Risk of becoming America's first convicted presidentIf Trump is convicted on January 10, he will be the first president in American history to be convicted in a criminal case. This could prove to be a big setback for his political career. However, Trump will have the option to appeal even after the sentence.Political impact and Trump's futureThis case can have a profound impact on Trump's popularity and his political future. Trump, who is preparing for the 2024 elections, is already embroiled in many legal controversies. After being convicted in the hush money case, his support both inside and outside the party may weaken. However, a large section of Trump's supporters still consider him a strong leader, and term his every legal trouble as a political conspiracy.Judge Merchan's stance and the process of justiceJudge Juan Merchan has made it clear that sentencing is necessary under the judicial process. He said that justice can be done only by ending this case. This statement shows that the court is performing its duty by staying beyond politics. All the efforts made by Trump's lawyers in this case have proved futile so far.Will Trump go to jail?Although Judge Merchan has said that Trump will not be jailed, his sentence cannot be ignored. He is likely to get a 'conditional discharge', which means that he will have to follow certain conditions to avoid going to jail. Still, this case can cause great damage to Trump's political image.Way forwardTrump will have the option of appeal after the verdict on January 10. But this case has deeply affected his reputation. If he takes oath as President, it will be interesting to see how his administration deals with these legal disputes.ConclusionThe time before swearing-in is proving to be very challenging for Donald Trump. The verdict in the hush money case can affect his political future. If he is convicted, he will become the first convicted president in American history. This case also shows that the law in America is equal for everyone, even if he is the President of the country.