Former United States President Donald Trump has been found guilty in a historic criminal hush-money trial, in a decision that could shake up the 2024 election campaign.
He has become the first US president, past or present, to be charged and convicted of a crime.
A New York City jury delivered the verdict on Thursday afternoon after a seven-week-long trial – and it found Trump guilty on all 34 counts he faced.
Prosecutors had called nearly two dozen witnesses to testify, and after closing arguments concluded on Tuesday, the jury took two days to render a verdict.
Trump was accused of 34 felony counts of falsifying business documents about a hush-money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the run-up to the 2016 US presidential election.
Prosecutors argued that Trump attempted to cover up the payment to improve his chances in the race, which he ultimately won.
The former Republican president, who is set to face off against Democratic incumbent Joe Biden in November’s election, had pleaded not guilty.
He now faces a prison sentence of up to four years for each felony count, though court observers say it is unlikely he will face time behind bars as opposed to probation or community service.
At the end of Thursday’s proceedings, a sentencing date was set for July 11, at the request of defense lawyer Todd Blanche. That hearing falls four days before the start of the Republican National Convention in Wisconsin, where Trump is expected to be officially recognized as the party’s presidential nominee.
Outside the courtroom, Trump briefly spoke to reporters, saying, “This was a rigged, disgraceful trial. He also hinted at a much-anticipated appeal, reiterating that he is “a very innocent man.”
The New York case was one of four criminal indictments Trump faced. It is likely to be the only one to go to trial before the November election.
Still, Republicans rallied to Trump’s support in the aftermath of the verdict, raising questions about the decision and its political implications.
Members of the Biden campaign likewise used the verdict to rally voters, highlighting the decision in the context of the election.
But the verdict elicited reactions beyond Washington, DC, even having ripple effects in the stock market.
Shares in Trump Media & Technology Group, a company in which Trump is the majority stakeholder, dipped by 14 percent in the immediate aftermath of the decision. The company went public last March.
