According to New York State law, an unconditional discharge means that Trump will have the felonies on his official record but will not face jail time, fines or probation for his actions. However, it does not mean that the President-elect has been exonerated, since that would mean finding he was not guilty of a crime.

The rare and lenient sentence, which will spare President-elect Donald J. Trump jail time, was used to address his unusual status.

President-elect Donald Trump was sentenced Friday in his historic hush money case to an unconditional discharge -- allowing Trump to avoid prison, fines or probation, but cementing his status as a convicted felon just 10 days before he takes the oath of office for his second term.

Justice Juan Merchan’s sentence of unconditional discharge for Trump carries no jail time, probation or fines. Trump had faced up to four years in prison.

President-elect Donald Trump was sentenced Friday in relation to his Manhattan hush money case, cementing his legacy as America’s first convicted felon to assume the presidency. The case involves Trump’s falsification of business records to pay porn star Stormy Daniels $130,

The New York judge who presided over Donald Trump’s hush money case on Friday sentenced the president-elect to an “unconditional discharge,” meaning he is now a convicted felon in the eyes of New York state law but will face no further penalties.

President-elect Donald Trump will enter the White House this month as a felon, but will serve no jail time under a sentence handed down this morning in New York for his criminal conviction in a hush-money trial that angered him and his supporters but didn’t prevent him from reclaiming the presidency.

President-elect Donald Trump was sentenced to "unconditional discharge" in connection to his hush money conviction. At the sentencing, Trump said he was innocent and did nothing wrong.

Trump attends his sentencing hearing with Judge Juan Merchan following jury conviction in his hush money case.

During the sentencing, Justice Juan Merchan said he was keenly aware of the unique set of circumstances before him and the country.

US President-elect Donald Trump responds to his hush money sentencing with harsh criticism, calling it a "despicable charade" and a "witch-hunt." Trump vows to appeal the case, claiming there was no merit to the charges,