A jury has found former President Donald Trump guilty on all 34 counts related to a $130,000 hush money payment made by his then-attorney Michael Cohen to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. The verdict came after nearly 12 hours of jury deliberation.
Trump faced charges of falsifying business records to conceal the hush money payment, which prosecutors argued was intended to avoid reporting it as a campaign expense, thereby aiding his election bid. The prosecution's challenge was to prove that the payment was directly linked to Trump's campaign efforts.
Throughout the trial, Trump remained defiant, pleading not guilty to all charges. His defense attorney, Todd Blanche, maintained Trump's innocence, asserting in his closing statements, "President Trump is innocent. He did not commit any crimes, and the district attorney has not met their burden of proof—period. The evidence is all in."
The trial was highly publicized, with significant moments including Stormy Daniels' detailed testimony about her alleged affair with Trump. She claimed that in the mid-2000s, Trump confided in her that he and his wife Melania no longer shared a bedroom. This testimony was a crucial part of the prosecution's case.
Michael Cohen also took the stand, providing insights into the arrangement and payment to Daniels. Despite the intense scrutiny, Trump chose not to testify in his defense. The trial saw Trump being held in contempt ten times and fined $10,000 for violating the judge's gag order, adding to the trial's dramatic nature.
This conviction marks the first time a U.S. president has been tried and found guilty on criminal charges, setting a historical precedent. Trump now faces a maximum of four years in prison, though similar cases often result in probation rather than imprisonment. Sentencing has been scheduled for a later date.
The guilty verdict in Donald Trump's hush money criminal trial has significant legal implications for the former president and sets a historical milestone. As the legal process moves toward sentencing, the nation watches closely to see the final outcome of this unprecedented case.