New York, New York - After president-elect Donald Trump was sentenced in his hush money criminal trial, he unleashed a rant on social media in response.

On Friday, Judge Juan Merchan sentenced Trump to unconditional discharge, meaning the incoming president will remain a felon, but will face no jail time, penalties, or probation.

Moments after the ruling, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to post a lengthy rant, slamming "radical Democrats" for spending millions of dollars on his trial, which should have been used to protect New Yorkers from "violent, rampant crime that is destroying the city and state."

"As the American People have seen, this 'case' had no crime, no damages, no proof, no facts, no law, only a highly conflicted Judge, a star witness who is a disbarred, disgraced, serial perjurer, and criminal Election Interference," Trump wrote.

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"Today's event was a despicable charade, and now that it is over, we will appeal this hoax, which has no merit, and restore the trust of Americans in our once great system of justice," he added.

In May 2024, Trump was found guilty of falsifying business records regarding payments made to an adult film star to hide an alleged affair on the eve of the 2016 election.

The discharge ruling means Trump will be the first felon to become president, unless he is able to appeal it before he is sworn into office during his inauguration on January 20.