Trump trial verdict: Donald Trump convicted in hush money trial – what happens now?
Donald Trump has become the first president to be convicted of criminal charges and he will be sentenced days before his re-election bid is confirmed.
Donald Trump has become the first US president to be convicted of criminal charges, with the felon to learn in July whether he faces a prison term as he campaigns to return to power.
The historic verdict – decided by a jury of five women and seven men in the Manhattan Criminal Court – capped an extraordinary seven-week trial and rocked an already dramatic race to the polls in November.
The former president frowned as he was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a $US130,000 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign, silencing her claim that they had a brief affair a decade beforehand.
“This was a disgrace. This was a rigged trial,” Mr Trump said.
“I’m a very innocent man … We’ll fight until the end, and we’ll win because our country has gone to hell.”
“The real verdict is going to be November 5th by the people.”
His supporters and opponents erupted into joy and fury outside the courthouse as they digested the stunning moment in American history. Some chanted “lock him up” while others clashed and swore at each other.
Mr Trump will be sentenced on July 11, just days before he is officially nominated by the Republican Party to challenge US President Joe Biden in an remarkable election rematch.
Judge Juan Merchan could send him to prison, put him on probation or issue a fine.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg refused to comment on whether prosecutors would seek a jail term for the first-time offender, saying: “My job is to follow the law without fear or favour and that’s what we did here.”
“I did my job. We did our job. There are many voices out there but the only voice that matters is the voice of the jury and the jury has spoken,” he said.
Mr Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche vowed to launch an immediate appeal after the sentencing hearing, saying his client did not “get a fair trial with this judge”. Those proceedings will likely drag on after the election.
The 77-year-old returned to Trump Tower after the verdict, where he pumped his fist and waved to the crowd outside. New York City Mayor Eric Adams warned against violent protests, saying police were on standby and would not tolerate “any form of lawlessness”.
In a fundraising appeal to his supporters, Mr Trump said: “I am a political prisoner!”
Mr Biden’s only comment on the verdict came in a similar push for donations in which he said: “There’s only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: At the ballot box.”
The President’s campaign spokesman Michael Tyler added: “In New York today, we saw that no one is above the law. Donald Trump has always mistakenly believed he would never face consequences for breaking the law for his own personal gain.”
Ms Daniels’s lawyer Clark Brewster said she was “relieved that this case is now over”, having given salacious evidence about their one-night fling in 2006 – a claim Mr Trump has always denied.
“No man is above the law,” Mr Brewster said.
Ms Daniels sought to sell her story on the eve of the 2016 election, with Australian journalist Dylan Howard – who was the editor of the National Enquirer – connecting her team to Mr Trump’s fixer Michael Cohen to negotiate the so-called “catch-and-kill” deal.
Mr Cohen arranged the payment and later became the star witness against Mr Trump, despite the former president’s lawyer attacking him as “the greatest liar of all time”.
“The truth always matters,” Mr Cohen said after the verdict.
Mr Trump’s wife Melania did not attend the trial to support him. But his son Donald Jr. said the verdict was “such bullshit” while his daughter Ivanka posted online: “I love you dad.”
As Mr Trump waits to be sentenced, his legal team will continue to try and delay three other criminal cases against him: federal and state prosecutions over his alleged effort to overturn his 2020 election defeat, and federal charges over his alleged mishandling of classified files.
RFK JR BLASTS TRUMP GUILTY VERDICTS
Independent US presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr has called Donald Trump’s guilty verdict “profoundly undemocratic,” while blasting the Democrats who he said were trying to beat Mr Trump without an election.
“The Democratic Party’s strategy is to beat President Trump in the courtroom rather than the ballot box. This will backfire in November. Even worse, it is profoundly undemocratic,” Kennedy said in a post to X.
“America deserves a President who can win at the ballot box without compromising our government’s separation of powers or weaponizing the courts. You can’t save democracy by destroying it first.”
Mr Kennedy accused the Democrats of being scared that Mr Trump will win the November election, and claimed they had to beat him in court.
“The Democrats are afraid they will lose in the voting booth, so instead they go after President Trump in the courtroom.
KELLY SAYS VERDICT OPENS ‘PANDORA’S BOX’
Controversial US media personality Megyn Kelly has warned Democrats that Donald Trump’s criminal conviction opens a “Pandora’s box” that means no one is safe.
Kelly lashed out at the verdict on X, calling for Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney who prosecuted the former president to be banned from practising law.
“The country is disgraced. Alvin Bragg should be disbarred. They will rue the day they unleashed this lawfare to corrupt a presidential election,” she said.
Speaking on her podcast, the former Fox News anchor warned that prosecuting Mr Trump meant Democrats could be in the line of fire, too.
She predicted “tit-for-tat” indictments of anyone from current US President Joe Biden and his wife Jill to former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton.
“This is ridiculous. What a sad day. The country’s been disgraced. That’s what’s happened,” she said.
“We made it almost 250 years without doing this. And now, because of falsified business records, we’ve convicted as a felon a former president of the US.”
Kelly argued the case against Mr Trump was so petty that if Republicans looked hard enough they could build one against former Democratic presidents.
“You don’t think we could have done something like this to Bill Clinton or Hillary Clinton or others?” she said.
“We had a standard. We didn’t do this in America. We aren’t a banana republic, or at least we didn’t used to be.”
NYC MAYOR WARNS AGAINST VIOLENT PROTESTS
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said authorities were on standby to respond to any violent protests in the wake of the verdict.
“Our criminal justice process must be respected,” he said.
“While peaceful protests and assembly will always be protected, we will not be a city of any form of lawlessness.”
‘LOVE YOU DAD’: IVANKA SPEAKS OUT
Ivanka Trump shared a heartfelt message of support for her father following his guilty conviction in the Manhattan hush money trial.
The former first daughter shared a photo of herself as a kid along with her dad as she sat on his lap.
She post the old photo on her Instagram Stories with the caption “I love you dad” and a heart emoji.
The short and sweet message were the first public remarks Ivanka, 42, has made after her dad became the first former US president to be criminally convicted.
‘DIDN’T GET A FAIR TRIAL’: TRUMP ATTORNEY SAYS
The trial judge’s fitness to preside over the case will be central to Donald Trump’s appeal, the former president’s lawyer Todd Blanche said.
Mr Blanche said he made a number of attempts to have Judge Juan Merchan removed from the hush money trial that ended on Friday with 34 guilty verdicts.
Asked on Fox News if Trump got a fair trial, Mr Blanche said: “No I don’t think so.”
“We said a year ago we couldn’t get a fair trial with this judge … And it’s played out in lots of ways exactly as we expected,” he said.
Two attempts by Trump to have the judge recuse himself before the trial failed.
“I expect that’s one of the things we will appeal,” he said.
Trump sought Merchan’s recusal based on his daughter’s work for a consulting firm with Democratic clients and a $15 political donation to Trump’s rival, President Joe Biden.
“Our system of justice requires not only the judge that is actually biased recuse himself, but a judge that even has the appearance of bias to recuse himself.”
Mr Blanche said Trump’s constitutional rights were violated.
“The gag order that was put in place … you have a situation where President Trump, who was on the campaign trail and is trying to compete with voices that are saying things every day that he cannot respond to without the risk of being fined – which he was or going to prison for violating it.
“That affects not only President Trump, but also affects every voter, whether they’re going to vote for President Trump or against … because they don’t get to hear from the candidate,” Mr Blanche said.
BODY LANGUAGE EXPERT ANALYSES TRUMP
Australian body language expert Dr Louise Mahler, who analysed Trump’s courtroom appearance, as being “tired, angry and exhausted” who would rather be “anywhere else than standing outside a New York courtroom”.
“This is a Donald Trump never seen before. As he walks forward to make his statement, his head is tilted down, he is chewing and bites tightly with his lower lip coming up almost to reach his nose. He is angry, discombobulated and contemplative,” Dr Mahler said.
“His arms hang loosely by his side and his face appears to sag, like a man who is tired and maybe has had enough of this whole saga.”
“Trump is doing something one rarely sees him do.
“As he walks, he is closing his eyes for extended periods of time. Partly he may be thinking of what he is going to say, but partly one can imagine he does not want to be in this position, he quite does not want to be here, blocking off the world by closing his eyes.”
“Trump is a man who normally speaks in sets of threes. His magnificence is starting with a short pithy statement as his first burst begins: “This trail was a disgrace”.
He them begins his second point that this was a “rigged trail by a conflicted judge” but then comes up short for a third point.”
“Pausing slightly, he repeats his second point again and then his first point again. This shows a man who is so tired and exhausted that he cannot follow his own patterns.”
“He then goes on to follow what I call ‘playing the trump card’ in that he tells us what to think.”
PM REACTS TO TRUMP VERDICT
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has refused to weigh directly after Donald Trump was found guilty but he defended the nation’s close relationship with the US.
“I think it will be a lot of public focus on this verdict. Of course, this is a decision of the US court that we don’t comment [on] where we’re not participants on court processes of other countries, and of course, the presidential election later this year is a matter for the people of the United States,” Mr Albanese told ABC radio in Sydney.
“Certainly, I obviously have a very close relationship with President [Joe] Biden. I have visited there and met with him on many times.
“I’m certainly not worried about our relationship with the United States because it’s a relationship between our peoples based upon shared values of democratic principles. We, of course, have a bit of a shared political system here: the Westminster system in the House of Representatives, the Senate system that we virtually adopted from the United States.”
When asked about Trump defending Australia if he did get back into the White House, he said: “I think that people have their individual personal views on that. But as prime minister of Australia, it’s important that I not only not interfere in the elections of another country, but that I’m also not seen to be interfering in the election.”
The PM was also asked if Trump could come to Australia with a criminal conviction.
“I’m not going down that rabbit hole,” he said.
WATCH: TRUMP’S VERDICT EXPLAINED
US Correspondent Tom Minear breaks down the guilty verdict and what it means for him on the streets of New York outside Trump Tower.
NEW YORK DISTRICT ATTORNEY REACTS
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has spoken out after his prosecution of former US president Donald Trump secured a conviction on all counts.
Mr Bragg praised the 12 jurors for performing their “fundamental civic duty”, saying that their service “is literally the cornerstone of our judicial system”.
He said “this type of white collar prosecution is core to what we do at the Manhattan District Attorney’s office.”
“The 12 everyday jurors vowed to make a decision based on the evidence and the law and they made a unanimous decision,” Mr Bragg said.
“Donald J Trump has been found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records. The jury did this by following the facts and the law and doing so without fear or favour.”
When asked if he plans to request a prison sentence, he said: “Judge has scheduled sentencing for July 11 and we will speak in court then.”
“I did my job. My job is to follow the law without fear or favour and that’s what we did here,” Mr Bragg said at a press conference in New York.
“I did my job. We did our job. There are many voices out there but the only voice that matters is the voice of the jury and the jury has spoken.”
“While this defendant may be unlike any other in American history, we arrived at this trial and ultimately today at this verdict in the same manner as every other case that comes through the courtroom doors.”
‘JUSTICE SERVED’: ROBERT DE NIRO WELCOMES NEWS
One of Donald Trump’s biggest critics, Oscar-winner Robert De Niro, has welcomed the guilty verdict against the former US President.
“I think justice was served,” De Niro said, according to Variety.
“I don’t want to be talking, but I am so upset by it. I have to say something. This is my country. This guy wants to destroy it. Period. He’s crazy.”
De Niro, who has engaged in a war of words with Mr Trump over the past eight years, said he occasionally had fears for his safety due to publicly arguing with the former president.
“You think about that. It makes me more angry, but I have to be afraid to be intimidated,” he said. “And that’s why I said, you’re not going to intimidate us. People are fed up, they’re going to fight back. That’s not what we’re about in this country.”
Earlier this week, De Niro made a surprise appearance in front of the New York court where Mr Trump was on trial. The actor was flanked by police officers who defended the US Capitol building during the January 6 riots in 2021.
De Niro described Mr Trump as a “tyrant” who New Yorkers tolerated “when he was just another grubby real estate hustler masquerading as a big shot two-bit playboy”.
But the native New Yorker warned voters about the dangers of a second Trump presidency.
“People thought they could control Hitler, thought they could control Mussolini, it didn’t happen,” he said, as Trump supporters yelled at him in the background.
“A dictator is a dictator, and that’s what Trump wants to do and be.”
BEST TRUMP MEMES
I wish you well pic.twitter.com/tb1024yKHU
— d a n i e l 🧮 (@dunisayno) May 30, 2024
What’s the right number of felonies to be convicted of? pic.twitter.com/lPobOItUiI
— Ben Yahr (@benyahr) May 30, 2024
rip pic.twitter.com/8nLWe0JQ7N
— Haley Britzky (@halbritz) May 30, 2024
BREAKING:
— Christian Greco (@ChristGrec) May 30, 2024
Melania spotted after the guilty #verdict.#TrumpTrialThursdaypic.twitter.com/nvWCYwzPoi
I personally want to congratulate Donald Trump for finally winning a popular vote
— Fuck You I Quit (@fuckyouiquit) May 30, 2024
We are talking about trump btw pic.twitter.com/nEkAepae6x
— hannah (@hannnahkristine) May 30, 2024
Can someone put this count in reverse order and play it for the NYE ball drop?#verdict#trumpguiltypic.twitter.com/yOCvhopBUb
— Jared (@JaredC__) May 30, 2024
This might be the greatest news moment of all time. The guilty counter! Hahahahahahahaha pic.twitter.com/94zEZ9Mob3
— Travon Free (@Travon) May 30, 2024
34 counts. #verdict#trumppic.twitter.com/g55o5dbvEh
— Jaii (@jaiblessit) May 30, 2024
TRUMP BLOWS UP: ‘POLITICAL PRISONER’
In a fundraising email sent to his supporters moments after the verdict, Mr Trump said “I am a political prisoner!”
“I was just convicted in a RIGGED political Witch Hunt trial: I DID NOTHING WRONG,” he said.
“Is this the end of America?”
Mr Trump’s son Donald Jr. said on social media: “Such bullshit.”
“I am a political prisonerâ€. Donald Trump is already monetising the guilty verdicts, appealing for donations to his Presidential campaign. pic.twitter.com/goX7XRKL40
— Richard Gaisford (@richardgaisford) May 30, 2024
WILD SCENES OUTSIDE COURT
Outside court, Trump supporters in black MAGA T-shirts leaned grimly against barricades.
Some were crying, while others were visibly angry – while the reaction for many was to digest the news silently.
One raged the verdict would be “overturned” and would help Trump’s re-election campaign.
People opposed to Trump reacted with shouts and applause when the verdict was delivered.
Chants of “Lock him up” and “USA” could be heard over the noise of Manhattan. Others held u
p signs with “Trump is guilty” and “not above the law”.
When the former president arrived back at Trump Tower he was booed confronted with protesters screaming: “Guilty”.
AUSTRALIA REACTS TO TRUMP VERDICT
Opposition leader Peter Dutton said Donald Trump’s guilty verdict will reinforce the strong views of his fans and haters.
“Look back to 2016, he won no electoral votes in New York. He’s despised there,” he said on Sky News.
“There’s obviously two tribes here: the one tribe who detest him and hate him – and you saw some of the emotion in some of the interviews just then – and the other tribe love him and adore him, and for different reasons on both sides.
“And all it will do is reinforce the views on both of those camps, but obviously it will make for an even more exciting election I suppose in November.”
Former federal Labor leader and NDIS Minister Bill Shorten backed Australia’s US alliance even if Donald Trump is elected president later this year.
“No, I think … the American political system will throw up who they’ve got to throw up,” Shorten said on Today.
“I think governments of both sides in Australia will deal with whoever the American political system elects. I think the alliance is stronger than the personalities.”
Federal Education Minister Jason Clare agreed with Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley that Australia’s alliance with America would remain strong.
On Sunrise he said: “Well, it’s the biggest news in the world that’s happening right now. We haven’t seen anything like this before. Obviously, we need to now wait and see what the sentence is that the judge will hand down. But I’m reticent to comment on court proceedings in another country or to say anything about the domestic politics of the United States.
“Obviously, it’s a decision for the American people to make later this year about who the next president [is].”
CELEBS LEAD THE CELEBRATIONS AFTER RESULT
Celebrities have reacted to Donald Trump’s guilty verdict.
Comedian Kathy Griffin – whose career took a massive hit in the wake of a 2017 controversy over a photo shoot depicting her holding a bloodied fake Trump head – said she was crying “TEARS OF JOY” in the wake of the verdict, also thanking Stormy Daniels for her testimony in the case.
Thank you for saying that. It was awful and he is awful.
— Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) May 30, 2024
TEARS OF JOY â¤ï¸ðŸ˜ https://t.co/u8UcKZbwDa
Sex and the City’s Cynthia Nixon was quick to chime in on the news with a screenshot of the New York Times headline “Trump guilty on all counts”, while pop star Katy Perry opted for a more simple “LFG.”
“Convicted felon Donald Trump is blaming the judge, the jury and New York for being found guilty on 34 counts,” legendary singer Barbra Streisand tweeted. “He will never accept accountability for his crimes. Americans must not allow this felon anywhere near the White House again.”
Convicted felon Donald Trump is blaming the judge, the jury and New York for being found guilty on 34 counts. He will never accept accountability for his crimes. Americans must not allow this felon anywhere near the White House again. https://t.co/UcFfAU3bv5
— Barbra Streisand (@BarbraStreisand) May 30, 2024
“We should start referring to him as 34 instead of 45,” said Star Trek legend George Takei referring to the number of counts Mr Trump was found guilty of.
US personality Rosie O’Donnell, who has had a long-running feud with Mr Trump thanked Michael Cohen “for turning away from the criminal cult – for taking responsibility for ur actions – for telling the truth”.
“GUILTY!!!!!” said When Harry Met Sally director Rob Reiner, while actor John Cusack said, “The dumb treacherous criminal is now a convicted felon – 34 times over. Now what will judge do with Trump contempt violations.”
But pro-Trump supporters were equally as loud online.
“An outrageous day for America,” Caitlyn Jenner said on X (formerly Twitter).
“The entire process has been outrageous, of course. Shame on the state of New York. Shame on the corrupt DOJ.”
An outrageous day for America. The entire process has been outrageous, of course. Shame on the state of New York. Shame on the corrupt DOJ. https://t.co/84IJ4Bqw5W
— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) May 30, 2024
Conservative commentator Candace Owens said: “We just live in a banana republic guys. Time to just accept that. Nothing is legitimate — not the media, our elections, or the courts. This guilty verdict doesn’t shame Trump, it shames our country.”
“Guilty on all counts. The Democrats have succeeded in their years long attempt to turn America into a third-world shithole,” Donald Trump Jr. said. “November 5 is our last chance to save it.”
Actor Billy Baldwin said, “Guilty on all counts. E. Jean Carroll … Stormy Daniels … Election interference, espionage and inciting an insurrection coming up.”
Steve Martin took a similar tack to George Takei, writing, “34 for 45.”
Jimmy Kimmel posted a picture of Shaquille O’Neal after executing a slam dunk, emphasising his famed Los Angeles Lakers number, 34.
Actor Michael Ian Black wrote, “Donald Trump is now a convicted felon.”
Actor John Leguizamo said, “Trump can’t legally vote for himself now!!! I love karma! It’s a good day for America!”
Actress Vivica A. Fox said, “WOWZERS #Trump GOT’EM!!” while This Is Us actress Mandy Moore said that “some semblance of accountability is gratifying!!!!”
Comedian DL Hughley said, “We really have to do something about all this White on White crime ! #TeamDl.”
Star Wars’ Mark Hamill shared a graphic that repeated the word “guilty” several times.
— Mark Hamill (@MarkHamill) May 30, 2024
Lynda Carter, the star of Wonder Woman, wrote on X, “34 is now my favourite number.”
Acclaimed horror author Stephen King said, “The Republican candidate for President is a convicted felon.”
The Republican candidate for President is a convicted felon.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) May 30, 2024
Happy Days star Henry Winkler said: “Guilty on ALLLLLL.”
JOE BIDEN RESPONDS TO VERDICT
In a statement, President Joe Biden’s campaign spokesman Michael Tyler said: “In New York today, we saw that no one is above the law.”
“Donald Trump has always mistakenly believed he would never face consequences for breaking the law for his own personal gain,” he said.
“But today’s verdict does not change the fact that the American people face a simple reality. There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot box. Convicted felon or not, Trump will be the Republican nominee for president.”
The White House issued a more circumspect response than Mr Biden’s campaign team, with spokesman Ian Sams saying: “We respect the rule of law, and have no additional comment.”
Mr Biden has reportedly been preparing to respond to the verdict this week, although he is currently at his beach house in Delaware and has no public appearances scheduled for the rest of the day.
TRUMP’S LEGAL WOES; SHARES DROP
Shares in the owner of Donald Trump’s Truth Social platform, Trump Media & Technology Group, dropped after the verdict
The shares, which trade under the symbol “DJT”, fell about 8 per cent in after-hours trading after the verdict was delivered.
TRUMP’S NIECE SPEAKS OUT
The former president’s niece Mary Trump claimed the guilty verdicts shocked her uncle and said it could be the “death knell” for his political career.
“He never saw this coming. He never in a billion years thought this would happen,” Mary Trump, who is a fierce critic of her uncle, said on her YouTube podcast.
“I think this is a death knell. I’m not guaranteeing it, of course, but I think that’s a reasonable hope at this point.”
Trump’s niece also said the MAGA movement suffered a significant blow.
“Once Donald is displaced, MAGA’s over,” she said.
“I used to think that Trumpism would survive without Trump. I’m not so sure anymore. One, there’s nobody to replace him and two, he’s just causing way too much damage to his image.”
WORLD REACTS TO TRUMP CONVICTION
Writer E.Jean Carroll who won almost US$90 million in civil judgments against Trump has posted a short message on X after the verdict.
“Justice” she posted alongside a picture of Stormy Daniels.
Justice!! pic.twitter.com/rZvjVmjIkN
— E. Jean Carroll (@ejeancarroll) May 30, 2024
WILL THE CONVICTION SINK TRUMP?
The impact of the historic verdict on Mr Trump’s election rematch with US President Joe Biden remains uncertain, although recent polling suggested a conviction would not necessarily have a major impact on the chances of the Republican, the current frontrunner.
A Quinnipiac University poll found 6 per cent of Mr Trump’s backers said a conviction would make them less likely to vote for him, compared to 68 per cent who said it would make no difference and 24 per cent who said it would make them more likely to support him.
“But in an extremely tight race, that 6 per cent could tip the balance,” Quinnipiac University polling analyst Tim Malloy said.
American politics expert Professor Brendon O’Connor, from the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, said there was no chance the Republican Party would abandon Mr Trump as their candidate.
He said the key question was how the conviction would influence voters who were already uncertain about backing the former president.
“Is there a small group of voters that would have otherwise supported Trump, but cannot support a felon? There is some polling suggesting this might be the case, but whether this holds up in practice is hard to tell,” he said.
“Trump has a Teflon quality with all his scandals and crimes. He has done so many scandalous things, a further scandal makes little difference.”
Both parties immediately launched fundraising appeals after the verdict, with Mr Biden telling supporters: “There’s only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot box.”
OTHER CHARGES TRUMP FACES
Originally published as Trump trial verdict: Donald Trump convicted in hush money trial – what happens now?
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