US President-elect Donald Trump received an ‘unconditional release’ ruling on Tuesday in the case involving adult actress Stormy Daniels. The verdict, handed down by Judge Juan Merchan, ends a judicial process that kept the nation on tenterhooks and will not prevent Trump from assuming the presidency again.
Trump, who appeared virtually, listened to the ruling without making a big gesture, although he described the trial as a ‘horrible experience’. According to the ruling, Trump will not face jail time, fines, or regular court appearances, leaving him free to concentrate on his return to the White House.
An extraordinary case treated as an ordinary case
Judge Merchan stressed in his speech that, despite the notoriety of the case, it was treated similarly to other court cases. ‘The case may have seemed extraordinary, but it was ordinary in terms of jury selection and evaluation of evidence,’ he said. He also clarified that he did not have the power to change the verdict returned by the jury, which found Trump guilty of 34 felonies.
The verdict brings to a close a trial that lasted nearly two months and revealed details of an alleged plot to conceal payments to Stormy Daniels. Despite the nature of the case, Trump managed to retain the support of a voter base that elected him to a second term.
What was Trump accused of?
The case revolved around a $130,000 payment made to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. According to the indictment, this payment sought to silence the actress about an alleged sexual encounter a decade earlier. Prosecutors argued that Trump falsified business records to cover up the payment, which led to the felony charges.
Throughout the trial, Trump denied any wrongdoing and reiterated his innocence. Following the sentencing, the president-elect posted a lengthy message on his social media platform, calling the trial a ‘despicable farce’ and vowing to appeal.
‘We will appeal this sham, which is without merit, and restore Americans‘ trust in our once great system of justice,’ he wrote.
Supporters and detractors divide opinions on Trump
Although it was known that Trump would not be physically present at the hearing, small groups of supporters and opponents gathered outside the courthouse on a cold January morning. Prominent among the messages of support for Trump were banners with phrases such as ‘Stop the political witch hunt’ and ‘Free Trump and save America’. Some protesters also waved Israeli flags in a symbolic gesture of support for the former president.
In contrast, Trump’s detractors limited themselves to expressing their rejection of the Republican, although without managing to gather a larger crowd.
Political and legal implications
The court ruling marks a significant outcome in one of the most high-profile legal cases in recent US history. Although the trial revealed controversial aspects of Trump’s personal and political life, it did not affect his popularity among his constituency. On the contrary, many of his supporters perceive the trials as part of a ‘political persecution’, a discourse that Trump has skilfully used to consolidate his support base.
With this ruling, Trump is free of legal constraints that could complicate his rise to the presidency. However, the case will go down in history as an example of how political and judicial tensions can intertwine in the public sphere.
On his way to his second term in office, Donald Trump appears to have cleared yet another hurdle in his controversial political career. However, the repercussions of the Stormy Daniels case will continue reverberating in public and political debate in the coming months.
