Trump Guilty on All Counts in Hush Money Trial—What Happens Now?
In a historic verdict, former President Donald J. Trump has been found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a hush money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. This marks the first time a U.S. president has been convicted of a felony.
Despite the conviction, Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for the 2024 presidential election, remains eligible to run for office. The U.S. Constitution requires that a presidential candidate be at least 35 years old, a natural-born citizen, and a resident of the United States for at least 14 years. A felony conviction does not disqualify him from running for or holding the office of the president.
Judge Juan Merchan has scheduled Trump’s sentencing for July 11 at 10 a.m. ET. While Trump faces up to four years in prison for each count, totaling a potential 136 years, New York state law caps the maximum sentence at 20 years for this type of offense. Legal experts consider it unlikely that Trump will serve jail time due to his lack of prior criminal history and the nonviolent nature of the charges. Other potential penalties include probation, fines up to $170,000, or a conditional discharge.
Trump’s felony conviction does not impede his ability to vote in the upcoming election, provided he is not imprisoned on Election Day. As a registered voter in Florida, Trump can vote unless he is incarcerated, as Florida law allows convicted felons to vote after completing their sentence.
Trump’s legal team is expected to appeal the guilty verdicts. They have 30 days to file a notice of appeal and six months to submit the full appeal. It remains uncertain whether Judge Merchan will stay Trump’s sentence during the appeals process, which could extend beyond the election.
A gag order issued by Judge Merchan restricts Trump from publicly discussing jurors, trial witnesses, lawyers, aides, court staff, and their families. Trump violated the order 10 times, resulting in $10,000 in fines. The gag order remains in effect, with no set date for its removal.
In addition to the Manhattan case, Trump faces three other criminal cases:
- Georgia Election Interference Case: Charges for efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia, currently in the appeals process.
- Federal Election Interference: Special prosecutor Jack Smith charged Trump with four counts related to attempts to overturn the 2020 election. The case is on hold pending a Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity.
- Federal Classified Documents Case: Charges for mishandling classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. The trial is indefinitely postponed due to ongoing legal issues.