Donald Trump, ex-president, convicted of falsifying business records in hush money trial with 34 counts

Former President Donald Trump was convicted of criminal charges on Thursday, becoming the first ex-president in American history to face such a fate. The Manhattan jury found him guilty of manipulating business records to conceal a past sexual encounter with an adult film actress before the 2016 election.

After about 12 hours of deliberation, the jury delivered the verdict in a packed courtroom, with Trump’s middle son, Eric Trump, in attendance. The jury foreman repeated “guilty” 34 times in response to each count charged against Trump.

Despite the historic verdict, Trump showed no visible reaction as the judge set his sentencing for July 11. Trump, who is now a felon and the presumptive Republican nominee for the upcoming presidential election, faces up to four years in prison.

Throughout the seven-week trial, Trump continuously criticized the prosecution and judge on social media, calling the trial a “witch hunt” and “rigged.” The trial attracted scores of Republican members of Congress and other officials, making it a must-see event for Trump loyalists.

The charges against Trump stemmed from a scheme to cover up payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and others to silence their allegations of affairs with Trump. Prosecutors argued that Trump falsified business records to hide the payments, which were considered illegal campaign contributions.

Despite Trump’s denial of the charges, the jury found him guilty on all 34 felony counts. The verdict marks a significant moment in American political history, as a former president faces the consequences of his actions in a court of law.