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News Swiftly

Trump appears remotely as sentencing in hush-money trial gets under way in New York City ? live

2m ago 15.55 CET Victoria Bekiempis Trump?s lawyer Todd Blanche is now speaking now. ?Legally, this case should not have been brought,? he began. ?The majority of the American people also agreed that this case should not have been brought.? Blanche continued: The interesting thing was that the fact there was a trial, the first time in our history, the first time in an election season, the American voters got to see and decide for themselves whether this was the case that should have been brought and they decided. And that?s why, in 10 days, president Trump will assume the office of POTUS. Share

4m ago 15.53 CET Victoria Bekiempis Trump, Steinglass noted, ?threatened to retaliate? against the court and prosecution. ?Such threats are designed to have a chilling affect to intimidate those who have a responsibility to enforce our laws in the hopes that they will ignore the defendant?s transgressions, because they fear he is simply too powerful to be subjected to the same rule of law as the rest of us,? the prosecutor said. ?This defendant has caused enduring damage to public perception of the criminal justice system and has placed officers and court in harms? way,? Steinglass added. Share Updated at 15.53 CET

7m ago 15.50 CET Victoria Bekiempis We?re at the part of sentencing when both prosecution and defense are going to state their respective positions on what they believe his sentence should be. Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass, addressing the court, noted that Donald Trump has been found guilty of 34 felonies, but said that prosecutors would support a sentence of unconditional discharge given the practical issues at play: Trump is going to be president in less than two weeks. Although the prosecution is not pushing for incarceration or fines, Steinglass went through the threat that Trump?s behavior has played to the US. Share

12m ago 15.44 CET Anna Betts In front of the courthouse, around 15 anti-Trump protesters are gathered along with about 20 Trump supporters. In the park across the street from the courthouse, a Trump supporter has unveiled a huge flag reading ?Trump won trifecta?. View image in fullscreen Pro-Trump demonstrators help unfurl a large flag outside court ahead of Donald Trump?s sentencing in New York. Photograph: Julius Constantine Motal/The Guardian Share

15m ago 15.42 CET Victoria Bekiempis We?re getting formalities out of the way. Both sides were provided copies of the probation report. When a defendant gets sentenced, officials prepare reports that assess the crimes and character of the defendant, to determine factors such as risk of re-offending, which judges then use in determining punishment. Share

20m ago 15.37 CET Trump?s sentencing begins Victoria Bekiempis Judge Juan Merchan has taken the bench, and Donald Trump?s sentencing in his hush money case is now beginning. The New York state supreme court judge is not expect to sentence the president-elect to jail, fines or probation over his conviction last year on 34 felony charges related covering up a hush money payment made to an adult film actor before the 2016 election. Share

22m ago 15.35 CET Trump appears for sentencing in hush money case Victoria Bekiempis Donald Trump is appearing by video at his sentencing hearing, and is now onscreen next to his lawyer Todd Blanche. They are in front of an American flag or two ? it?s hard to say because we?re straining to see a computer screen that?s about 20 feet away. Share

24m ago 15.32 CET Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg arrives for Donald Trump's sentencing Victoria Bekiempis Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, who has long been the target of Donald Trump?s ravings and rants, has entered the courtroom. He is seated in the second row on the right side of the gallery. We?re all waiting with bated breath to see Trump. There are four large flat-screen televisions set up for the audience to see him. Those screens now just feature ?Standby? messages with a clock. But, screens on the prosecution and defense tables ? which are visible to anyone facing the front of the courtroom, including the gallery ? are showing the feed already. Share

30m ago 15.26 CET Victoria Bekiempis The prosecution team has entered judge Juan Merchan?s courtroom, along with Emil Bove, a lawyer for Donald Trump. Bove has taken a seat at the defense table. Share

42m ago 15.14 CET Marina Dunbar Trump supporter Qing Yang is here in front of the Manhattan courthouse, helping to hold up a banner that reads ?Stop partisan conspiracy?. ?My whole family are American citizens. Donald Trump is my president. So many people made the choice, Trump is the winner,? she said. Share

50m ago 15.07 CET Victoria Bekiempis Reporters have been ushered into the courtroom where, in less than an hour, Donald Trump is expected to appear via video link for his sentencing. Courtroom sketch artists are seated in the jury box, preparing their pads and pens and pencils and pastels for the big moment. At present, the mood is unremarkable. Everyone is busy typing away at their laptops and trying to stay warm. Share

53m ago 15.03 CET Anna Betts One of the people in the group protesting against Donald Trump outside the courthouse today is Paul Rabin. Rabin, who is holding a sign reading ?fraud? with a photo of the president-elect, told the Guardian that he is here on this cold morning ?because it just upsets me as a citizen that someone has lived their entire life with wealth, status and privilege and used it to evade justice?. ?It?s been proven in a court of law that he?s broken the law, and yet he?s been able to evade justice, and unfortunately, in our society, he has money, wealth, status and power, and that?s what gets you justice, or the opposite of justice,? Rabin said. Today, Rabin said, the conviction will ?be official? adding, ?once it?s official in New York state, then he?s not just charged, he?s actually convicted.? ?And that actually does have some ramifications terms of his liquor licenses, for his properties, things like that,? he said. ?Any little bit of justice is welcome.? Share Updated at 15.08 CET

1h ago 14.49 CET Anna Betts Outside 100 centre street this morning, a group of around 20 anti-Trump protesters have gathered. They are holding signs reading ?Trump is guilty?, ?fraud? and ?34 felony convictions?, among others. On the other side of the court building, there are three people holding a banner in support of Trump. It reads, ?Stop partisan conspiracy?, ?Stop political witch hunts?, ?Stop DEM kangaroo court? and ?Free trump Save America?. View image in fullscreen Pro-Trump protesters outside the New York Criminal Court in Manhattan this morning. Photograph: Mike Segar/Reuters Standing on the street are around 20 or so police officers, and barricades have been set up to separate the anti-Trump and pro-Trump protesters. View image in fullscreen Protesters outside the court. Photograph: Anna Betts Share Updated at 15.10 CET

1h ago 14.35 CET Victoria Bekiempis The courthouse at 100 Centre Street in downtown Manhattan was busy with reporters hours before Donald Trump?s sentencing in his criminal hush money case. Aside from queuing up in the cold outside, and the din of colleagues catching up with one another, there was little else of note. By the time we were ushered into the building around 8am, this reporter hadn?t seen any protesters or spectators gathered at the park across from court. We?re inside now, but waiting in line outside the courtroom. Share

1h ago 14.30 CET US supreme court to hear arguments over law that could lead to TikTok ban Another big story to watch today is oral arguments before the supreme court over a recently passed law that requires TikTok?s China-based owner to sell its US operations by 19 January, or face a ban. Republicans and Democrats alike worry the hugely popular social media app poses a national security threat over its owners? ties to Beijing, the potential that it could be used to harvest data from Americans. Though Congress moved to pass the sell-or-ban law last year, Donald Trump now says he wants to keep TikTok available. The ban may go into effect just before he is inaugurated, though supreme court could decide to put a stop to that. We?ll find out more when oral arguments commence at 10am. Here?s more on the case: US supreme court to hear arguments in TikTok ban-or-sale case Read more Share

2h ago 14.10 CET Donald Trump responded to the US supreme court?s rejection of his bid to delay his sentencing in a press conference with reporters on Thursday evening. He called the sentencing a ?disgrace? and said the judge presiding over the case, Juan Merchan ?shouldn?t have been on the case?. He went on to call the supreme court?s ruling ?fair?. He added: ?I?ll do my little thing tomorrow. They can have fun with their political opponent.? Share Updated at 14.23 CET

3h ago 13.21 CET Reuters has written up a brief overview of the hush-money case: Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, charged Donald Trump in March 2023 with illegally falsifying business records to cover up an alleged affair with the pornographic film actor Stormy Daniels. A jury convicted him of 34 felony counts in May 2024. The judge overseeing the case indicated he does not plan to send Trump to prison. But by granting an unconditional discharge, he would place a judgment of guilt on Trump?s permanent record. Trump has denied wrongdoing and has vowed to appeal. The conviction could be thrown out by an appeals court even after he is sentenced. Share Updated at 14.24 CET