Trump criticizes those who opposed him following notable conviction verdict
Trump was declared guilty on a Thursday, making him the first former US president in history to undergo a criminal trial. The jurors in New York found the 77-year-old Trump guilty on all 34 charges. His sentence will be announced on July 11, and it's likely to be a fine or imprisonment.
The sentence announcement date is just four days before the Republican Party's opposition convention, where they're expected to nominate Trump as their presidential candidate. Even a prison sentence, considered unlikely, wouldn't prevent Trump from running for president. The US Constitution doesn't bar a president from serving behind bars.
Trump was convicted of covering up a $130,000 (approximately €120,000) hush money payment to former porn actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 elections. Daniels was persuaded to stay silent about an alleged affair with Trump, which she maintains took place and which Trump denies.
Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, was the leading prosecution witness and testified in court that he paid the hush money with Trump's approval. The indictment alleges that Cohen received this money from the Trump Organization disguised as legal fees. Cohen, now an enemy of Trump, spoke after the verdict, calling it a "significant day" for the rule of law.
Trump announced on Friday that he'd appeal the verdict. The appeals process could stretch on until after the November 5th presidential election, during which Trump is expected to challenge Democratic President Biden.
Trump's campaign quickly issued a fundraising plea: "I am a political prisoner!" According to Trump, donations amounting to $39 million have since come in.
The Kremlin viewed the verdict as a sign of the White House targeting political rivals with "all available legal and illegal means." Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov remarked on this from Moscow.
Italian Vice Prime Minister Matteo Salvini concurred, claiming Trump was subject to "harassment by the justice system" and "a politically motivated process." Salvini, head of the right-wing Lega party, commented on this online.
US President Biden reacted by expressing his opinion on the online platform X: "Donald Trump threatens our democracy." Before the verdict, Biden's campaign team issued a campaign call. The jurors' decision displayed that "no one is above the law." However, it didn't change the fact that to keep Trump out of the Oval Office, citizens had to vote.
Following Trump's speech on Friday, Michael Tyler, Communications Director of the Biden and Kamala Harris campaign, labeled his speech "confused and desperate." "'This man cannot be President of the United States,'" Tyler added.
A poll released right before the jury's decision by NPR and PBS found that at least ten percent of Republicans and eleven percent of independents would be less inclined to vote for Trump if he was found guilty. Considering the tight race between Trump and Biden, a few percentage points could make a difference.
Trump is currently facing charges in three other cases. Two concern his efforts to overturn the 2020 election loss to Biden, while the third revolves around his taking of classified government documents to his home in Florida. The timing for these trials is still unknown.
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- Trump's opponent, Democratic President Joe Biden, expressed his thoughts on Trump's online platform, criticizing him for threatening US democracy.
- The Republicans, despite Trump's guilty verdict, are expected to nominate him as their presidential candidate at their opposition convention in New York.
- Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, testified in court that he paid hush money to Porn actress Stormy Daniels with Trump's approval, as part of the hush money process before the 2016 elections.
- Stormy Daniels maintains that she had an affair with Trump, which he denies, and was persuaded to stay silent about it with the payment of $130,000.
- The Trump Organization is accused of disguising the hush money payment as legal fees, as part of the indictment against Trump.
- Michael Cohen, now an enemy of Trump, called the verdict a "significant day" for the rule of law, following Trump's conviction.
- The conviction of Trump for covering up hush money payments could impact the upcoming US Presidential election, as a few percentage points could make a difference in the tight race between him and Joe Biden.
- The Kremlin viewed Trump's conviction as a sign of the White House targeting political rivals with "all available legal and illegal means," according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
