Former President Donald Trump became the first former US president to be convicted of criminal charges, and the sentence sparked a range of reactions online from celebrities and public figures.
Trump was convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with a $130,000 hush money paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign. Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges in an indictment brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. His sentence is set for July 11.
“This is a disgrace. This was a rigged trial by a corrupt judge with a vested interest,” Trump told reporters outside the courthouse after the verdict was read.
“We have done nothing wrong,” he added. “I am a completely innocent man.”
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The 12-judge verdict drew reaction from figures such as conservative political commentator Tucker Carlson, who said Trump's conviction would “mark the end of the fairest justice system in the world.”
“Importing Third World, becoming Third World,” Carlson wrote on Twitter. “And that's what we've seen. This won't stop Trump. He'll win the election if he's not killed first. But it will mean the end of the fairest justice system in the world. Anyone who defends this verdict is a danger to you and your family.”
Other celebrities also welcomed the guilty verdict, including American actor Rob Reiner, who posted to X: “GUILTY!!!!”
“Guilty on all counts,” American actor and producer Billy Baldwin wrote. “E. Jean Carroll ✅ Stormy Daniels ✅ Charged with election interference, espionage and incitement of insurrection.”
“Dear #MAGA,” author Don Winslow added. “Guilty 34 times. Sincerely yours, Don Winslow.”
Former Minnesota Senator and Democrat Al Franken also congratulated Trump on his conviction, but noted it was also a “sad day” for the country.
“It's a great day that justice has prevailed. Trump has been found guilty of all 34 counts,” Franken wrote on X. “But it's also a sad day that we have a former president who committed multiple crimes.”
“If this had come out before the 2016 election, if they hadn't bribed Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, I believe we would have avoided a Trump presidency,” he added. “The job now is to stop a Trump presidency.”
This is a developing news story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom, seeking common ground and finding connections.
