US Court found Trump guilty of falsifying business records

Former American President, Donald Trump has been convicted on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in his historic criminal trial in New York

It is the first time a former or serving American President and Trump is now the first former United States President with a criminal conviction, and the first major party candidate to run for the White House as a felon.

He will be sentenced on 11 July ; the ex-president could face prison, but legal experts say a fine is the more likely outcome

The verdict comes as he campaigns to defeat Joe Biden in November’s election and return to the White House

The court heard from 22 witnesses over six weeks, including Stormy Daniels, whose alleged sexual encounter with Trump was at the centre of the case

Trump stood accused of concealing a payment made by his former Lawyer to buy the ex-adult film star’s silence shortly before the 2016 election

The 12 jurors deliberated for two days before reaching a unanimous verdict

Speaking outside the courthouse after the verdict, he said he was a “very innocent man” and that the trial was a “disgrace”.

“This is long from over,” he added, before walking away without answering questions.

Meanwhile, some Democratic lawmakers and some of Donald Trump’s strongest critics took to X formerly Twitter to praise the verdict; saying that justice had prevailed.

“Today, twelve ordinary American citizens found a former President guilty of dozens of felonies. Despite his efforts to distract, delay, and deny justice but at the end, the rule of law prevailed,” California Rep. Adam Schiff wrote.

Schiff served on the House select committee to investigate the 6 January 2021 attack on the US Capitol.

“The jury has spoken. Justice has prevailed,” Rep. Jim Clyburn, a Democrat from South Carolina, tweeted.

Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, called it “an important moment for accountability in America”.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat from Rhode Island, simply tweeted: “Boom”.
However, Donald Trump’s allies have decried the ruling, echoing the Republican’s comments that the Manhattan case was a politically-motivated witch hunt.

Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia blasted the “SHAM trial” on X.

“You don’t see this level of corruption in a banana republic”, she wrote, directing people to a Trump fund raiser.

Another Trump ally, Matt Gaetz, agreed, writing on X: “This verdict is the corrupt result of a corrupt trial, a corrupt judge, and a corrupt DA. We stand with President Trump now more than ever.”

And the former President also received support from the highest-ranking Republican in the US government, House Speaker Mike Johnson.

“Today is a shameful day in American history,” he wrote. “President Trump will rightfully appeal this absurd verdict and he will win.