Jurors today found former U.S. president Donald Trump guilty on all 34 counts in his hush-money trial in New York. Crowds outside the courthouse erupted in cheers as each was read out; Trump is the first president to be a felon. Outside the court, following the verdict, Trump told reporters that it was "rigged," that the country was "going to Hell," and took no questions.
All the charges were for falsifying business records to conceal payments made to Stormy Daniels, the adult film star with whom he is alleged to have had an affair while his wife, Melania, was pregnant. Trump pleaded not guilty and denied having sex with Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford. While paying someone hush money for their silence is not illegal, lying about the nature of the payment in tax returns and other official paperwork is, as jurors determined.
The four-week trial was his first on criminal charges. Trump was found liable in 2023 for sexually assaulting writer E. Jean Carroll in a New York department store, and subsequently for defaming her. His company was found responsible for accounting fraud earlier this year. Other criminal trials, in Florida for refusing to return secret documents and Georgia for election interference, have been delayed—likely until after November's election.
When sentenced in July, he's unlikely to be imprisoned—it's a Class E nonviolent felony and he's an old man with no prior convictions—but he will almost certainly appeal the verdict anyway. As a convicted felon, Trump could run for and serve as president again, but may not be eligible to vote for himself.
Previously:
• Stormy Daniels offers to return $130,000 hush money to Trump in exchange for freedom to tell all
• Oops! Fox's Jesse Watters 'defends' Donald Trump in hush money case by accidentally describing the crime (video)
• Rudy Giuliani says Trump paid Cohen back for $130K Stormy hush money. Trump denied knowing.
