What are the outcomes or current statuses of the major prosecutions involving Donald Trump as of December 2025?
Executive summary
As of December 2025, the four major criminal prosecutions that began in 2023–2024 have ended or been paused: the New York hush‑money trial produced a May 30, 2024 conviction on 34 counts and Judge Juan Merchan later sentenced Trump to an unconditional discharge on January 10, 2025 (upheld Jan. 3, 2025) [1] [2] [3]. The two federal prosecutions overseen by Special Counsel Jack Smith were dismissed after Trump’s 2024 election win and Smith’s decision to drop or move to dismiss the cases (Nov. 25, 2024 filings and subsequent dismissals) [1] [4]. The Georgia RICO/election‑interference case was paused after Georgia appeals courts removed Fani Willis and was ultimately dismissed by the successor prosecutor in late November 2025 [5] [6] [7].
1. New York conviction, then an unconditional discharge — criminal finding without punishment
Manhattan prosecutors won a jury conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records on May 30, 2024; Judge Juan Merchan upheld that conviction on January 3, 2025 and imposed an unconditional discharge on January 10, 2025, meaning no jail time, probation or fines were ordered at sentencing [1] [2] [3]. The record shows Merchan rejected defense efforts to void the verdict tied to Trump’s reelection and the Supreme Court immunity decision [1] [2].
2. Federal election‑subversion and classified‑documents prosecutions — dismissed after election
Special Counsel Jack Smith’s two federal cases — the election‑subversion prosecution and the Mar‑a‑Lago classified documents prosecution — were effectively shelved after Trump’s November 2024 victory. Smith announced on November 25, 2024 that he was dropping the prosecutions of Trump (while preserving aspects of cases against some co‑defendants) and later resigned ahead of the inauguration; courts approved dismissals or stays tied to DOJ policy against prosecuting a sitting president [1] [4] [8]. Available sources do not mention any new federal indictments of Trump in those matters after January 2025 [1] [4].
3. Georgia RICO case — prosecutor removed, successor dismissed charges in Nov. 2025
The Georgia prosecution was paused in mid‑2024 while appellate courts considered disqualifying Fulton County DA Fani Willis; the Georgia Court of Appeals removed Willis in December 2024 and the Georgia Supreme Court later declined to hear her appeal, setting the stage for a new prosecutor [5] [6]. Pete Skandalakis took over the matter and on November 26, 2025 he filed to dismiss the remaining charges, with courts entering orders that effectively ended the case [5] [7] [6].
4. How the Supreme Court immunity ruling reshaped the calendar and outcomes
The Supreme Court’s 2024–2025 immunity jurisprudence forced judges and prosecutors to reassess counts tied to official acts; that ruling led to delays, motions and revisions in federal indictments and was cited by prosecutors and defense teams in subsequent filings, contributing to pauses and dismissals, especially in federal matters [4] [1]. Reporting shows courts and prosecutors repeatedly argued over the decision’s reach; one result: Smith narrowed or dropped prosecutions after Trump’s election [1] [4].
5. Competing narratives and political context
Prosecutors, defense teams and commentators offer sharply different readings. Prosecutors maintained they had sufficient admissible evidence to pursue convictions (the special counsel’s office said evidence could sustain convictions in its report), while critics and Trump allies called the actions politically motivated and hailed dismissals or discharges as vindication [4] [7] [1]. Independent observers noted institutional constraints — DOJ policy against prosecuting a sitting president — shaped decisions after the 2024 election [4] [8].
6. What remains unsettled and how reporters should read the record
The major criminal dockets that once loomed over Trump were, by late 2025, either resolved in court (New York conviction plus unconditional discharge) or terminated (federal cases dismissed/stayed; Georgia charges dropped by a successor prosecutor) [1] [8] [7]. Appeals and collateral litigation continue to be possible — for example, the New York conviction was appealed as of late 2025 [9] [6]. Readers should note judicial rulings, prosecutorial choices and institutional policies — not only trial verdicts — determined these final outcomes [4] [1].
Limitations: this summary relies only on the supplied reporting and public‑record summaries; available sources do not mention post‑January 2025 federal refilings or new state indictments beyond the Georgia dismissal and the noted New York appeal filings [1] [6] [7].