Donald Trump made history Thursday as the first former president to be convicted of felony crimes. A New York jury found him guilty of falsifying business records in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through hush money payments to a porn actor who claimed to have had a sexual encounter with him.
The jury convicted Trump on all 34 counts after 9.5 hours of deliberation. Sentencing is scheduled for July 11.
This verdict marks a significant legal reckoning for Trump and exposes him to potential prison time in the city where his manipulations of the tabloid press helped him rise from real estate mogul to reality television star and ultimately president. As Trump campaigns for a return to the White House in this year’s election, the judgment presents voters with another test of their willingness to accept his controversial behavior.
Trump is expected to appeal the verdict swiftly and will face an awkward dynamic as he seeks to return to the campaign trail as a convicted felon. Although no campaign rallies are currently scheduled, he is expected to hold fundraisers next week. It will likely take several months for Judge Juan Merchan, who presided over the case, to decide whether to sentence Trump to prison.
The charges of falsifying business records carry up to four years in prison, though prosecutors have not stated whether they will seek imprisonment. It is also unclear whether the judge, who previously warned of jail time for gag order violations, would impose such a sentence even if requested. Notably, the conviction and potential imprisonment do not bar Trump from continuing his presidential campaign.
Trump is also facing three other felony indictments, but the New York case might be the only one concluded before the November election, adding to the significance of this outcome. While the legal and historical implications of the verdict are evident, the political consequences remain uncertain as it may reinforce rather than change the public’s opinions about Trump.
For another candidate in another time, a criminal conviction might doom a presidential run, but Trump’s political career has survived through two impeachments, allegations of sexual abuse, and investigations into various issues, including potential ties to Russia and attempts to overturn an election. Furthermore, the allegations in this case have been known to voters for years and are often viewed as less severe than those in the other cases charging him with subverting American democracy and mishandling national security secrets.