Trump Convicted in Hush Money Trial, Calls Verdict a ‘Disgrace’

 

Former US President Donald Trump has been found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in his hush money trial, aimed at silencing porn star Stormy Daniels. The historic conviction marks the first criminal trial of a former US president.

 

Trump, who was released without bail and plans to appeal, initially appeared subdued in the Manhattan courtroom. However, he later called the verdict a “disgrace” and “rigged,” asserting that the “real verdict” would come from voters in the November 5 presidential election.

 

This conviction puts the United States in unprecedented political territory but does not prevent Trump from continuing his run for the White House. Even if Judge Juan Merchan were to sentence him to prison, which is considered unlikely, he could still pursue the presidency. Sentencing is scheduled for July 11, just before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where Trump is expected to secure the party’s nomination to challenge Democratic President Joe Biden.

 

Biden’s campaign emphasized that the trial demonstrates “no one is above the law” and highlighted the threat Trump poses to democracy. After over 11 hours of deliberation, the jury delivered a unanimous verdict. Judge Merchan thanked the jurors for their diligent work, noting their identities had been kept secret for security reasons.

 

The charges against Trump involved falsifying business records to reimburse his lawyer, Michael Cohen, for a $130,000 payment to Daniels just before the 2016 election. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, testified in detail about her alleged 2006 encounter with Trump. Prosecutors argued that the hush money and its cover-up were intended to prevent voters from learning about Trump’s behavior.

 

Trump’s defense team argued that attempting to influence an election was part of democracy and that Trump had done nothing wrong. Throughout the trial, Trump used media attention to portray himself as a political victim, giving daily speeches outside the courtroom. Despite previously hinting he might testify, Trump ultimately chose not to take the stand.

 

Political analyst Keith Gaddie noted that the trial’s impact on voters remains uncertain but could influence swing votes in tight races. Although Trump faces potential prison time, legal experts suggest that as a first-time offender, he is more likely to receive probation. Any appeal process could take months to resolve. 

If Trump wins the presidency again, he cannot pardon himself from state charges, as only the New York governor has that authority. Trump also faces other legal challenges, including federal and state charges related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and the retention of classified documents post-presidency.