Donald Trump: Shocking Conviction Revealed!

Donald Trump: First Former US President Convicted of Felony Crimes

Following two days of deliberations, the 12-member jury declared former US President Donald Trump guilty on all 34 counts he faced. Unanimous agreement was necessary for any verdict.

Donald Trump, who has denied wrongdoing and is expected to appeal, faces a maximum sentence of four years in prison. He became the first former US president to be convicted of felony crimes on Thursday when a New York jury found him guilty of falsifying documents to cover up a payment to silence a porn star ahead of the 2016 election.

Following two days of deliberations, the 12-member jury announced it had found Trump guilty on all 34 counts he faced. Unanimous agreement was necessary for any verdict, as reported by news agency Reuters.

Justice Juan Merchan has set the sentencing for July 11, just days before the Republican National Convention is expected to formally nominate Trump for president, which begins on July 15.

Judge Merchan expressed gratitude to the jurors for their service, stating, "Nobody can make you do anything you don’t want to do. The choice is yours."

The verdict ushers the US into uncharted territory as it heads towards the November 5 presidential election, where Trump, the Republican candidate, seeks to reclaim the White House from Democratic President Joe Biden.

Facing a maximum sentence of four years in prison, Trump may potentially receive shorter sentences, fines, or probation, a common outcome for those convicted of similar crimes. Any incarceration would not hinder his ability to campaign or assume office if elected.

Trump, aged 77, maintains his innocence and is anticipated to pursue an appeal. He will not be held in custody pending sentencing.

Trump, speaking outside the courtroom, asserted his innocence, stating, "We didn't do a thing wrong, I am a very innocent man. We'll keep fighting. We'll fight to the end, and we'll win."

He added, "The real verdict is going to be on November 5 by the people. This was a rigged decision from day one."

Opinion polls indicate a close race between Trump and Biden, aged 81, and Reuters/Ipsos polling suggests that a guilty verdict could impact Trump's support among independent and Republican voters.

According to a source familiar with the Trump campaign, the verdict is expected to lead him to intensify deliberations on selecting a woman as his vice presidential running mate.

As Trump's motorcade departed the courthouse, he gave a thumbs-up sign through the tinted window of his SUV. Trump supporters, along with journalists, police, and onlookers, gathered in a park opposite the courthouse, as reported by Reuters.

Fellow Republicans swiftly denounced the verdict, with House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson stating, "Today is a shameful day in American history."

Additionally, the verdict prompted some long-time Trump donors to increase their financial support for him - and, in at least one instance, to make a significant donation to him for the first time.

On Thursday, mega donors, including casino billionaire Miriam Adelson and hotelier Robert Bigelow, showed their support for Trump. Their donations are poised to bolster a surge of pro-Trump advertising, door-to-door campaigning, and phone banking in battleground states.

Robert Bigelow, a prominent supporter of Trump who has already contributed over $9 million to an outside group backing him, criticized the criminal proceedings against Trump as a "disgrace." "I'm sending President Trump another $5 million as I promised him," Bigelow informed Reuters.

Don Tapia, a former Trump ambassador to Jamaica, revealed plans to contribute around $250,000, alongside a small network of family and friends, to support Trump in the upcoming election.

Shaun Maguire, a Silicon Valley tech investor, announced on the social media platform X that he had donated $300,000 to back Trump following the verdict.

The jury found Trump guilty of falsifying business documents after a six-week trial, during which porn star Stormy Daniels provided explicit testimony about a sexual encounter she claims to have had with Trump in 2006 while he was married to Melania. Trump denies the allegations.