Former President Donald Trump was convicted on Thursday on all 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money scandal.
The case, stemming from payments made during his 2016 presidential campaign, marks the first time in U.S. history that a former president has been found guilty of felony charges.
Trump, who is also the presumptive Republican nominee for the 2024 presidential election, faced charges over a $130,000 payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels to prevent her from publicizing an alleged sexual encounter with him.
Throughout the seven-week trial, the jury heard X-rated testimonies from Daniels and Trump’s former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, who turned against him.
Cohen, a convicted perjurer who admitted to lying under oath in the past to protect Trump, was the prosecution’s star witness. His testimony was a crucial component of the case, shedding light on the internal workings and alleged illegal activities within the Trump Organization.
The verdict was delivered by a Manhattan jury composed of 12 residents after nearly 12 hours of deliberation spread over two days. As the jury foreman announced “Guilty” 34 consecutive times, a visibly shaken Trump, dressed in a bright blue tie, slouched with his shoulders forward and scanned the jurors—one by one.
Speaking to reporters outside the Manhattan Supreme Court, Trump vehemently denounced the trial as a “rigged, disgraceful.”
“The real verdict will be Nov. 5 by the people … I’m a very innocent man,” Trump declared, attributing the legal challenge to a plot led by President Biden, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and the overseeing judge.
“I’m fighting for our country, I’m fighting for our constitution,” Trump added, portraying the trial as part of a broader decline of the nation.
“Our whole country is being rigged right now. This was done by the Biden administration in order to vote to wound or hurt an opponent, a political opponent. And I think it’s just a disgrace,” Trump continued, promising to fight until the end because, according to him, “our country’s gone to hell. We don’t have the same country anymore. We have a divided mess. We’re a nation in decline, serious decline.”
Responses to the verdict have sharply divided along partisan lines. Democratic figures, including New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, hailed the decision as a testament to the rule of law applying universally.
Conversely, prominent Republicans like House GOP Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik criticized the outcome as indicative of a corrupt justice system, echoing Trump’s sentiments of a politically motivated witch hunt.
Legal pundits and Trump’s defense team have already signaled plans for an appeal.
On the Just the News, No Noise TV show, legal experts Mike Davis, Hans von Spakovsky, and Harmeet Dhillon outlined potential grounds for appeal, questioning the timing and clarity of the charges and criticizing procedural decisions during the trial. They argue that these could have compromised Trump’s ability to defend himself effectively.
The conviction carries potential sentences ranging from probation to four years in prison per count, with sentencing scheduled for July 11. Until then, Trump remains free without bail, as ordered by Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan.
This case is just one of several legal battles Trump faces, with others pending in Georgia, Washington D.C., and Florida, involving allegations ranging from election interference to mishandling classified documents.