Politicians react after Trump guilty verdict in hush money trial

First former president to be convicted of felony crime

Former president Donald Trump has been found guilty of all 34 counts in his New York hush money case. Trump has said he plans to appeal the verdict, and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11. Former prosecutor Katie Charleston joins LiveNOW from FOX.

After Donald Trump was found guilty in his hush money trial, many are sharing their reactions to the news.

Trump became the first former president to be convicted of felony crimes Thursday as a New York jury found him guilty of falsifying business records in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through hush money payments to a porn actor who said the two had sex.

Jurors convicted Trump on all 34 counts after deliberating for 9.5 hours. As the verdict was read, he sat stone-faced in court, looking down.

What's the reaction to the Trump verdict?

Trump responded to the verdict stating "This was a disgrace. This was a rigged trial," he says. "This was a rigged disgraceful trial," per a pool reporter at the courthouse.

The Biden-Harris campaign has released a statement on the verdict saying "In New York today, we saw that no one is above the law," the statement said.

"Donald Trump has always mistakenly believed he would never face consequences for breaking the law for his own personal gain. But today’s verdict does not change the fact that the American people face a simple reality. There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot box. Convicted felon or not, Trump will be the Republican nominee for president."

The statement continued: "The threat Trump poses to our democracy has never been greater. He is running an increasingly unhinged campaign of revenge and retribution, pledging to be a dictator ‘on day one’ and calling for our Constitution to be ‘terminated’ so he can regain and keep power. A second Trump term means chaos, ripping away Americans’ freedoms and fomenting political violence – and the American people will reject it this November."

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wrote "Today’s verdict represents the culmination of a legal process that has been bent to the political will of the actors involved: a leftist prosecutor, a partisan judge and a jury reflective of one of the most liberal enclaves in America — all in an effort to "get" Donald Trump."

Former U.S. President Donald Trump sits in the courtroom during his hush money trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 30, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

A White House Counsel’s Office spokesperson said "We respect the rule of law, and have no additional comment," per Ian Sams.

Donald Trump Jr. took to X to rip his father's guilty verdict in the New York trial, slamming the decision in a series of posts.

"Such bullsh--t," Trump Jr. said in one post.

"Guilty on all counts. The Democrats have succeeded in their years long attempt to turn America into a third-world sh--hole. November 5 is our last chance to save it," he said in another.

"Sentencing is 4 days before the GOP Convention...They're not even trying to hide the ELECTION INTERFERENCE," he said in another.

Eric Trump, the former president's other son, wrote "May 30th, 2024 might be remembered as the day Donald J. Trump won the 2024 Presidential Election."

Former Trump attorney Michael Cohen, who served as the prosecution's key witness in the New York trial, struck a celebratory tone on social media following the verdict.

"Guilty On All Counts! #TeamCohen," Cohen said on X.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who has long had a tense relationship with Trump but recently endorsed his 2024 campaign, refrained from attacking the judge or jury. But he said the charges "never should have been brought in the first place."

"I expect the conviction to be overturned on appeal," McConnell said in a post on X.

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) reacted saying in a series of posts "Trump shut your mouth! You talk about saving the Constitution? You’re the one who has disrespected the Constitution and you have supporters who believe we should get rid of the Constitution! Just shut your mouth, you’re convicted on all counts!"

In a second post, Waters wrote "Hallelujah!!! My predictions came true! I predicted three years ago at a speech with the Human Rights Campaign that Stormy Daniels would be the one to get Trump, my faith in the criminal justice system has been strengthened!"

Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock wrote "No one is above the law — including Donald Trump."

California Congressman Adam Schiff reacted on X writing "First, a court found Donald Trump to be a sexual abuser. He was then found to be a fraudulent business owner. Now Donald J. Trump is a convicted felon. All are an affirmation of the rule of law. And Trump’s unfitness for office."

Republican speaker Mike Johnson weighed in on the X, formerly Twitter, writing "Today is a shameful day in American history. Democrats cheered as they convicted the leader of the opposing party on ridiculous charges, predicated on the testimony of a disbarred, convicted felon."

"This was a purely political exercise, not a legal one. The weaponization of our justice system has been a hallmark of the Biden Administration, and the decision today is further evidence that Democrats will stop at nothing to silence dissent and crush their political opponents. The American people see this as lawfare, and they know it is wrong — and dangerous. President Trump will rightfully appeal this absurd verdict — and he WILL WIN!"

U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote "Radical leftists & Deepstate Operatives have been orchestrating this SHAM trial from the beginning… What do they do now that President Trump is leading in the polls, and their stunt is failing? You don’t see this level of corruption in a banana republic, but it’s happening in our own backyard. There is NOTHING they fear more than another Trump Presidency. President Trump needs you now more than ever."

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert took to social media to chime in on the verdict saying "As we all knew, this was ALWAYS about election interference and stopping President Trump from winning his rightful re-election to the White House. The American people see through the Democrat games and know this is a sham verdict. We stand with PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP!"

Rep. Jim Jordan shared his thoughts on the outcome, writing "The verdict is a travesty of justice. The Manhattan kangaroo court shows what happens when our justice system is weaponized by partisan prosecutors in front of a biased judge with an unfair process, designed to keep President Trump off the campaign trail and avoid bringing attention to President Biden’s failing radical policies. Americans see through Democrats' lawfare tactics and know President Trump will be vindicated on appeal."

South Carolina Senator Tim Scott wrote "Absolute injustice. This erodes our justice system. Hear me clearly: You cannot silence the American people. You cannot stop us from voting for change. Joe Biden — you’re fired. We the People stand with Donald J. Trump."

Rep. Eric Swalwell took to the X writing "Donald Trump is a convicted felon. This verdict is not a win for any single person. It’s a win for an idea. The idea that we all follow the same rules. The rule of law won today."

Florida Senator Marco Rubio reacted writing "The verdict in New York is a complete travesty that makes a mockery of our system of justice A political show trial conducted by an openly pro-Biden judge whose daughter makes money off the case, a jury from the most liberal county in America, absurd and ridiculous charges and outrageous jury instructions that guaranteed guilty verdicts Biden and the Trump deranged left will stop at nothing to remain in power."

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton shared his thoughts saying "From the beginning of this sham trial, I stood by President Trump, and my support for him is stronger than ever. As Attorney General of Texas, I will unleash every tool at my disposal to fight this blatant corruption and political persecution spewing from New York and the Biden administration."

This story was reported from Washington, D.C.