Topline
Former President Donald Trump slammed his guilty verdict as a “disgrace” after he was found guilty on all 34 felony charges of falsifying business records in his criminal hush money trial while President Joe Biden’s campaign called it a reminder “no one is above the law,” as other leading political figures weighed in on the conviction.
Key Facts
Right after the verdict was read, Trump alleged without evidence the case was the result of the “Biden administration” in an effort to “hurt a political opponent,” reiterating his baseless claim that President Joe Biden worked in cahoots with New York prosecutors to bring charges.
Trump called Judge Juan Merchan “conflicted,” and said the “real verdict is going to be on Nov. 5, by the people,” referencing the November election.
The Biden-Harris campaign quickly issued a statement saying “no one is above the law,” blasting Trump for having “always mistakenly believed he would never face consequences for breaking the law for his own personal gain,” while asserting the “only one way to keep” Trump from the White House is at “the ballot box”—Biden then posted a fundraising plea on X.
Trump’s oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., immediately criticized the decision on Truth Social, saying the “Democrats have succeeded in their years long attempt to turn America into a third-world s**thole”—while Eric Trump posted on X the day “might be remembered as the day Donald J. Trump won the 2024 Presidential Election” and Ivanka Trump posted an Instagram story with a photo of the two captioned, “I love you dad.”
Michael Cohen, Trump’s former fixer who admitted to paying former adult film star Stormy Daniels and became prosecutors’ key witness, said “[t]oday is an important day for accountability and the rule of law,” adding: “While it has been a difficult journey for me and my family, the truth always matters.”
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg lauded the jury, stating they acted “without fear or favor,” while also saying “I did my job” multiple times during a press conference Thursday, avoiding questions about how Trump’s sentencing may play out on July 11.
Speaking to CNN, Trump's attorney Todd Blanche said the verdict was unfair and accused the jury of being biased, saying: “Every single person on the jury knew Donald Trump as president, as candidate, from 'The Apprentice' so I don't accept that this was a fair place to try President Trump.”
Chief Critics
Contra
News Peg
Trump was convicted on all 34 counts in Manhattan following a weeks-long trial that saw nearly two dozen former associates and other witnesses testify. Trump has maintained he committed no wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to the charges, which stem from a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election to conceal an alleged affair. Each count carries a potential prison sentence, though legal experts say it’s unlikely he’ll be sentenced to prison as a first-time offender.
What We Don’t Know
How the verdict will influence Trump’s chances in the November elections. Trump—who holds a 1.5-point lead over President Joe Biden, according to FiveThirtyEight’s weighted polling average—could still lose some independent voters if he is convicted, according to recent polls. One poll by Quinnipiac found 46% of Americans believe Trump committed a crime by concealing hush money payments ahead of the election, while 47% of respondents in a YouGov poll this month said Trump committed a crime.
Surprising Fact
Trump can still run for president and serve in the White House even after his conviction. The Constitution only requires candidates to be at least 35 years old and a naturally born citizen to run for president.
What To Watch For
Trump’s sentencing is scheduled for July 11, four days before the Republican National Convention, when Trump is set to officially become the GOP’s nominee.