Former US President Donald Trump is set to enter the history books for all the wrong reasons. In a landmark case involving a hush money agreement with porn star Stormy Daniels, a New York jury found Trump guilty on all charges. This makes him the first former president in American history to be convicted of criminal actions. The primary allegation is that Trump paid Daniels a large sum to keep their affair secret during the 2016 presidential election.
With the jury's verdict, Trump faces up to four years in prison. This could be a significant blow as he prepares to run for president again in the upcoming elections. However, Trump has been released without bail and is planning to appeal. Even if he ends up in jail, it won’t legally prevent him from running for office. Trump maintains his innocence, calling the charges false and claiming that the true verdict will come from the people.
President Joe Biden's team responded to the verdict, stating that no one is above the law and accusing Trump of posing an unprecedented threat to American democracy. Judge Juan Merchan announced that Trump's sentencing would take place on July 11, just four days before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where Trump was expected to be confirmed as the official presidential candidate.
The jury of 12 members deliberated for over 11 hours across two days before reaching a unanimous decision. Judge Merchan thanked the jury for their diligent work, noting that they kept all details confidential until the end, a rare practice typically reserved for mafia or other violent cases.
In addition to this case, Trump is also under federal investigation for allegedly conspiring to overturn the 2020 election results and for taking classified documents from the White House.
