Officially declared guilty, Donald Trump becomes the first US president to be convicted of a crime
Former President Donald Trump steps off his plane upon arrival at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023, in Atlanta. Trump headed to Fulton County Jail.
- A New York court jury, United States of America (USA) officially declared former president Donald Trump guilty.
Donald Trump was found guilty of falsifying documents to cover up payments to silence porn stars ahead of the 2016 US election.
By being found guilty, Donald Trump became the only US president to be convicted of a crime. After two days of deliberations, a 12-member jury found Trump guilty on all 34 felony charges he faced.
Quoted from Reuters, Trump observed the jurors impartially as they were polled to confirm the unanimous decision.
Judge Juan Merchan set sentencing for July 11, just days before Republicans are scheduled to officially nominate Trump for president ahead of the Nov. 5 election. The crime of falsifying business documents carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison. A legal hold would not prevent Trump from campaigning, or taking office if he were to win.
It is certain that Trump will not be jailed before the judge officially pronounces his sentence.
The ruling plunges the United States into unexplored territory ahead of the vote in November, when Trump will try to win back the White House from Democratic President Joe Biden.
Trump denies any wrongdoing and a lawyer representing him said they would appeal as soon as possible. "It's a shame," Trump told reporters. He repeatedly told reporters he was innocent and repeated his complaint that the trial was rigged against him.
"The real decision will be taken on November 5 by the people," he stressed.
Trump simply gave a thumbs up through the window as his motorcade left the courthouse.
Trump supporters stood in the park across from the courthouse along with journalists, police and onlookers. Polls show Trump and Biden neck and neck. A survey conducted by Reuters/Ipsos shows that a guilty verdict could cost Trump support among independent voters and the Republican Party.
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Donald Trump speaks with members of the media at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City, May 3, 2024. AFP/Charly Triballeau (AFP/Charly Triballeau)
A pollster working with Democratic Party President Bill Clinton and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Doug Schoen, revealed that voters in the US feel less confident about the case against Trump.
Schoen said the case was related to an incident that occurred eight years ago. "While being convicted of a crime is never a good thing, what voters will be thinking about in November is inflation, the southern border, competition with China and Russia and money spent on Israel and Ukraine," said Schoen, quoted by the BBC.
Even so, even a slight decline in support for Trump may be enough to determine what is a very close race in this presidential election. If thousands of voters who would otherwise support the former president had remained in key states like Wisconsin or Pennsylvania, it would have made a big difference.
"I think this will impact and hurt her as a candidate," said Republican Women for Progress co-founder Ariel Hill-Davis.
Please note, Republican Women for Progress is a group that is trying to distance the party from Trump. Ariel Hill-Davis said young voters and those with a college education and living in the suburbs are concerned about Trump's attitude and approach to government. "Those voters are very hesitant to fall back in line with the Republican Party led by Donald Trump," he said.
"A guilty verdict would further amplify those concerns," he continued.
But Republican leaders, many of whom attended the hearing to demonstrate their loyalty to the party's nominee, quickly endorsed him.
US House Speaker Mike Johnson called it a shameful day in American history.
"This is purely a political act, not a legal act," Johnson said.
Former U.S. President and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, with his sons Eric (left) and Donald (right), speak at a watch party during the 2024 Iowa Republican presidential caucuses in Des Moines, Iowa, on January 15, 2024. (JIM WATSON / AFP)
For eight years, experts and opponents have predicted Trump's political collapse, only to be proven wrong.
His 2016 presidential campaign was punctuated by scandals that would likely bring down the average politician.
Including recordings of Trump's conversations on Access Hollywood about groping women which were referenced several times in this trial. None of this has deterred Trump from mounting a political comeback that puts him in position to win back the White House in November. This historic criminal conviction may prove different – especially if Trump's appeal fails and he faces prison.
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