Trump Supporters and Opponents Clash Over Guilty Verdict in Historic Trial

A New York City jury has found former President Trump guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records, making Trump the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a crime. The verdict has sparked strong reactions from both supporters and opponents of Trump, with some celebrating the decision as a victory for justice and others decrying it as unfair.

A Manhattan jury has found former President Donald Trump guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records, concluding a six-week trial in Manhattan court. The verdict represents a historic moment, as Trump is the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a crime.

Liberals have widely praised the verdict, taking to social media to express their satisfaction with the outcome. Author Stephen King noted that the Republican candidate for President is now a convicted felon, while Vox correspondent Eric Levitz joked that if they can do this to Trump, they can do it to any American who tries to falsify business records to conceal hush money payments.

Media figures also joined in the chorus of approval, with former MSNBC anchor Mehdi Hasan thanking the prosecutor for "not being Merrick Garland" and MediasTouch News editor-in-chief Ron Filipkowski declaring that Trump will henceforth be known as "Convicted Felon Donald Trump."

However, the verdict has also drawn strong criticism from conservatives, who have attacked the decision as unfair to Trump and an abuse of the justice system. Former WWE wrestler and Tennessee mayor Glenn Jacobs compared the trial to pro wrestling, while actor Michael Rapaport predicted that Trump will win the 2024 election.

Outkick founder Clay Travis accused the prosecution of setting Trump's sentencing for July 11th, four days before the Republican National Convention, as a dirty tactic. National Review editor Rich Lowry condemned the trial as a "travesty and abuse of the legal system," and Babylon Bee editor-in-chief Kyle Mann joked that banana republics would be offended by the comparison to the United States.

Some commentators have expressed concern about the long-term consequences of the verdict, arguing that it could escalate political tensions and undermine the rule of law. National Journalism Center program director T. Becket Adams warned that convicting a former President during an election year would have "long-term consequences" and could "push the temperature way, way up."

RealClearInvestigations editor-at-large Benjamin Weingarten also expressed concern, noting that the case could be reversed on appeal but that "the bell can never be unrung." He argued that the country is now "living in a different country" than before the verdict.

Trump has vowed to appeal the decision, but an appellate court could take months or even years to render a verdict. Sentencing for the former president is scheduled for July 11th at 10:00 a.m., just four days before the start of the Republican National Convention, where Trump is expected to be nominated as the Republican presidential nominee for 2024.

The verdict and its aftermath will likely continue to shape the political landscape in the United States.