Donald Trump officially becomes a convicted felon days before re-entering the White House

Donald Trump officially became a convicted felon less than two weeks before his inauguration to a second term as president.

The former president faced sentencing Friday on 34 felony convictions for falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election, but he avoided jail time after New York justice Juan Merchan granted an unconditional discharge.

Trump could have faced up to four years in prison for the Class E felony conviction, but he would have been unlikely to receive jail time due to his advanced age and lack of a prior criminal record.

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However, some legal experts believe his repeated flouting of the court's gag order could have caused the judge to put him behind bars if he had not been elected president again.

Trump had appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to block the sentencing hearing, which cemented his status as a convicted felon, but the justices rejected his bid in a 5-4 ruling.

As a convicted felon, the president-elect could potentially lose his voting rights in his home state of Florida, although Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis could move to restore his right to vote.

Trump is expected to continue appealing his conviction, but he cannot pardon himself – an unprecedented move by any president – because he was convicted by a jury on state, and not federal, charges.