Former United States President Donald Trump has been found guilty in a landmark criminal hush-money trial, potentially impacting the 2024 election campaign.
This makes him the first US president, past or present, to be charged and convicted of a crime.
A New York City jury reached the verdict on Thursday afternoon after a seven-week trial, convicting Trump on all 34 counts he faced.
Prosecutors presented nearly two dozen witnesses, and the jury took two days to deliberate after closing arguments concluded on Tuesday.
Trump was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a hush-money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. Prosecutors argued the payment was intended to enhance his electoral prospects.
The former president, who had pleaded not guilty, now faces a potential prison sentence of up to four years per count. However, legal experts suggest probation or community service is more likely than imprisonment.
A sentencing date has been set for July 11, just days before the Republican National Convention where Trump is expected to be nominated for the 2024 presidential race.
Outside the courtroom, Trump decried the trial as “rigged” and expressed his intent to appeal, maintaining his innocence and asserting that the true verdict would come from voters on November 5.