A New York jury found former President Donald Trump guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records Thursday, marking the first time a former U.S. president has been convicted of felony crimes. The charges stemmed from a politically motivated prosecutor who ran on prosecuting Trump.
Reactions poured in from across the political spectrum following the historic verdict. Trump himself responded, calling the trial “a disgrace” and “rigged.”
The Biden-Harris campaign released a statement emphasizing that “no one is above the law” while acknowledging that Trump will likely be the Republican nominee in 2024. They warned that a second Trump term would mean “chaos, ripping away Americans’ freedoms and fomenting political violence.”
Is Hunter above the law?
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized the show trial, arguing that it had been “bent to the political will of the actors involved,” including what he characterized as a “leftist prosecutor, a partisan judge and a jury reflective of one of the most liberal enclaves in America.”
Trump’s sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, also weighed in on social media. Donald Jr. slammed the verdict as “bullsh—” and claimed it represented an attempt by Democrats to turn America into a “third-world sh—hole.” Eric Trump suggested the outcome might galvanize support for his father’s 2024 presidential bid — which seems to have been a very accurate prediction.
Prominent leftists, including Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), praised the verdict as a victory for the rule of law. Waters stated that her “faith in the criminal justice system has been strengthened,” while Warnock noted that “no one is above the law—including Donald Trump.”
Republican lawmakers, such as House Speaker Mike Johnson and Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Lauren Boebert (R-CO), characterized the trial as a politically motivated “sham” and an attempt at “election interference.” They accused Democrats of weaponizing the justice system to target their political opponents.
As the nation grapples with the implications of this landmark case, the focus now shifts to Trump’s expected appeal and the impact on the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
