People in Manhattan react after learning that former president Donald Trump was found guilty on all 34 felony charges in the New York hush money case on Thursday. Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post
Former President Donald Trump on Thursday railed against what he called a “rigged, disgraceful trial” after a jury found him guilty of all 34 counts in his hush money trial in New York.
“The real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people,” Trump said, speaking to reporters outside the courtroom, “and they know what happened here, and everybody knows what happened here.”
Trump insisted he did nothing wrong, calling himself a “very innocent man.”
Trump’s sentencing was set for July 11, four days before the Republican National Convention is scheduled to begin in Milwaukee. Trump is the presumptive GOP nominee against President Biden in November’s rematch of the 2020 presidential election.
Before speaking to reporters outside the courtroom, Trump sat in court and frowned as he looked at the jurors while they each confirmed that they agreed with the verdict. He adjusted his tie and stood as they filed out. Trump and the jurors averted their gazes from one another.
Top Republicans responded swiftly – and fiercely – to the verdict.
“Today is a shameful day in American history,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said in a statement. “Democrats cheered as they convicted the leader of the opposing party on ridiculous charges, predicated on the testimony of a disbarred, convicted felon. This was a purely political exercise, not a legal one.”
Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. quickly responded to the verdict on social media, calling it “such bulls—.”
“Guilty on all counts,” Trump Jr. wrote on X. “The Democrats have succeeded in their years long attempt to turn America into a third-world s—hole. November 5 is our last chance to save it.”
Trump, who was required to remain inside the courthouse throughout jury deliberations, spent the two-day period railing against the case on social media.
“MY CIVIL RIGHTS HAVE BEEN TOTALLY VIOLATED WITH THIS HIGHLY POLITICAL, UNCONSTITUTIONAL, AND ELECTION INTERFERING WITCH HUNT,” Trump said in one of his last posts on his Truth Social network before the verdict was announced. “OUR FAILING NATION IS BEING LAUGHED AT ALL OVER THE WORLD!”
Jurors entered deliberations Wednesday morning after hearing lengthy closing arguments Tuesday in a trial that began April 15.
Trump was convicted of 34 felony criminal charges of falsifying business records to cover up payments before the 2016 election over an alleged affair with adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
It was the first of four criminal trials Trump faces as he makes another bid for the White House. Two other cases center on his efforts to overturn his 2020 reelection loss.
Washington Post writer Isaac Arnsdorf contributed to this report.
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