Within a week of this article, President-Elect Donald Trump will have been formally sentenced for his 34 felony count conviction, in which a guilty verdict fell down on him like a hammer for paying off a porn-star, and he will also be inaugurated as America’s 47th president, serving two non-consecutive terms; a feat that only President Grover Cleveland accomplished.  

Trump will not have to pay anything for his felony conviction. Back in 2023, writer E. Jean Carrol sued Trump for rape and defamation; a case in wich Trump was found libel, or guilty of, and ordered to pay $5 million for the rape case, and $83 million for the defamation case. 

Last May,  Donald Trump was convicted for falsifying business records in an attempt to cover a $130,000 payment to actress Stormy Daniels in an attempt to protect his reputation during the 2016 presidential election. The sentencing took place on Friday, Jan. 10. Judge Juan Merchan delivered an “unconditional discharge” for Trump, meaning no jail time, and no penalty. 

Trump called the 2023 conviction a “disgrace.” The trial took place in New York, where little to no defense was offered by Trump’s lawyers, and without his taking the stand in his own defense either. 

Merchan did not order any penalty for the 34 felony counts, only formalizing the conviction and enshrining it onto Trump’s record. 

This Monday, Jan. 20, Trump will be inaugurated into the White House. Administrations and companies globally are bracing themselves for a second Trump term, anticipating a bolder, less restrained man than before. 

Biden has enacted a slew of new bills, such as deportation protections and striking medical debt from credit reports. Meta, Facebook and Instagram’s parent company, ended its fact-checking policy in exchange for community notes – a system X has utilized on their platform. 

Trump has said he’s “not going to wait to work.” He and his team have made many day one promises on the campaign trail. Rhian Lubin with Indepedentment analyzed pledges made of the campaign trail, and compiled a list of all 59 actions Trump has committed to. 

His biggest promises are closing the border into the country, pardoning January 6 insurrectionists, and rolling back transgender protections. The Washington Post Trump Promise Scorecard keeps track of all the statements the convicted felon has made. 

Trump’s inauguration will begin on Saturday, Jan. 18 with fireworks at Trump National Golf Course in Virginia. Him and J.D. Vance will be sworn in at noon EST Monday, Jan. 20, thus concluding Biden’s presidency.