Former president and convicted felon Donald Trump is speaking at a press conference at Trump Tower following his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records.
The press conference is taking place where Trump launched his 2016 campaign when he descended his golden escalators in June 2015, and a couple of months later conspired to unlawfully influence the outcome.
He’s now proclaiming his innocence from the same atrium where he announced he was running.
Trump insisted on Thursday that he’s “a very innocent man” after the jury at his New York hush money trial found him guilty on all of the counts he faced, making him the first American president in history to be convicted of a crime.
The defendant sat emotionless as the jury delivered its unanimous verdict, convicting Trump of falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 payment made to the porn star Stormy Daniels on his behalf in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election in order to buy her silence over a sexual encounter she claims they had a decade earlier, which Trump denies.
Watch live: Trump speaks after criminal conviction in hush money trial
Warning: This livestream has not been independently fact-checked and may contain misinformation.
The former president was found guilty on all counts he faced, becoming the first criminally convicted US president in history, on Thursday.
He made unfounded claims the trial was “rigged” and “done by the Biden administration in order to wound or hurt a political opponent” in comments shortly after the verdict.
Mr Trump was emotionless as the jury delivered a unanimous verdict, convicting Mr Trump of falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 payment made to the porn star Stormy Daniels on his behalf in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election in order to buy her silence over a sexual encounter she claims they had a decade earlier, which Mr Trump denies.
He will be sentenced on 11 July at 10am ET (2pm GMT).
Holly Patrick31 May 2024 15:06
Trump blames ‘sick people’ for his conviction at post-trial press conference
Former President Donald Trump is speaking at a press conference after his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records.
He said those behind his conviction were “sick people.”
“We have a president and a group of fascists that don’t want to do anything about it,” he added. “He could stop it. But he’s not, they’re destroying our country.”
Gustaf Kilander31 May 2024 16:10
Piers Morgan defends Trump after ‘shameful’ trial verdict
Rather less happy with the news, and once more attempting to re-establish a degree of relevance in America he has not enjoyed for some years, the British conservative broadcaster has also contributed his two cents.
Jacob Stolworthy has this one.
Joe Sommerlad31 May 2024 16:00
Trump to speak from venue where he announced 2016 campaign
The Trump press conference is taking place where Trump launched his 2016 campaign when he descended his golden escalators in June 2015, and a couple of months later conspired to unlawfully influence the outcome.
He’s now going to proclaim his innocence from the same atrium where he announced he was running.
Alex Woodward31 May 2024 15:55
PHOTOS: Opponents and supporters of Donald Trump gather outside Trump Tower



Gustaf Kilander31 May 2024 15:53
Elon Musk backs Trump and says ‘great damage’ has been done to faith in US justice system
The great genius of our time speaks.
Joe Sommerlad31 May 2024 15:40
‘I don’t understand what’s happened to the minds of the sane Republicans’
Wendy Sacks walked by the crowd outside Trump Tower at the intersection of 5th Avenue and 57th Street muttering “mother******.”
“I’m just livid that this criminal is being given this honor,” she said, gesturing at the MAGA flags and supporters on the other side of a barricade.
“I don’t understand what’s happened to the minds of the sane Republicans.”
The 30-year Manhattan resident is running an errand and the obstacle course of barricades around the blocks messed up her route.
“I resent on account of this one individual I have to walk one, two, three blocks out of my way to accommodate his blarney and shenanigans.”
After yesterday’s verdict, “I couldn’t be prouder to be a New Yorker.”
Alex Woodward31 May 2024 15:26
PHOTOS: Trump supporters gather outside Trump Tower ahead of press conference




Gustaf Kilander31 May 2024 15:21
‘Is this the moment Trump’s popularity bubble bursts? Don’t bet on it…’
He has reached the highest echelons of office by defying political gravity – but, after being found guilty on 34 felony charges, will the former president finally come crashing back down to Earth?
Jon Sopel explains why yesterday’s verdict may not end up making a jot of difference come November.
Joe Sommerlad31 May 2024 15:20
Speaker Johnson says Supreme Court should ‘step in’
House Speaker Mike Johnson has said that he believes the Supreme Court should “step in” following the guilty verdict of former President Donald Trump on 34 counts in his hush money trial.
“I do believe the Supreme Court should step in,” he said on Fox & Friends on Fox News on Friday morning. “I think they’ll set this straight but it’s going to take a while.”
Speaking about the justices, he said: “I know many of them personally, I think they’re deeply concerned about” the faith in the American justice system.
Gustaf Kilander31 May 2024 15:13