Donald Trump was convicted on Thursday (Friday AEST) of falsifying records to cover up a sex scandal that threatened to derail his 2016 presidential campaign, capping an extraordinary trial that tested the resilience of the US justice system and transformed the former commander in chief into a felon.

The guilty verdict in Manhattan – across the board, on all 34 counts – will reverberate throughout the nation and the world as it ushers in a new era of presidential politics. Trump will carry the stain of the verdict during his third run for the White House as voters now choose between an unpopular incumbent and a convicted criminal.