Trump hush money trial: Trump found guilty on all counts in historic case
Trump was found guilty on all 34 felony counts in his hush money trial.
Former President Donald Trump has been found guilty on all 34 felony counts related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. It marks the first time in history that a former U.S. president has been convicted on criminal charges.
Trump last April pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.
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Trump guilty on all 34 counts
Trump found guilty on all counts in historic case
Former President Trump has been found guilty on all counts in his historic criminal hush money case.
As the first former president charged with a criminal offense, Trump also now becomes the first former president to be convicted of a crime.
Trump stone-faced as he awaits verdict
Donald Trump, awaiting the verdict that will be read at around 5 p.m. ET, sat at the defense table, arms very tightly crossed. He was stone-faced, nodding as his attorney Todd Blanche whispered into his ear.
The top court officer entered the courtroom, looked around, and walked out.
DA Alvin Bragg subsequently entered the courtroom.
Verdict has been reached, judge says
Judge Merchan announced that a verdict has been reached.
The jury requested an extra 30 minutes, Merchan said.
"Please let there be no outbursts, no reactions of any kind when we take the verdict," Merchan asked.
There was an audible gasp in the courtroom when Merchan announced that a verdict had been reached.
Mood appears light for Trump team
Judge Merchan told the parties he would take a few minutes back in chambers before returning at 4:30 ET to bring in the jury and excuse them for the day.
Trump, at the defense table, was actively conferring with attorney Todd Blanche as they waited, with Blanche laughing and covering his mouth as Trump whispered in his ear. Trump flashed a grin.
Defense attorneys Emil Bove and Susan Necheles were also smiling as they chatted.
Prosecutor says AMI agreement was to 'serve the campaign'
Prosecutor Josh Steinglass rehashed the phone call that then-National Enquirer publisher David Pecker said he had with Trump about the Karen McDougal payment.
During the phone call, Pecker testified that Trump expressed skepticism about the hush money payment.
"Mr. Trump said to me ... 'I don't buy stories.' And he said, 'Anything you do anything like this, it always gets out,'" Pecker testified.
"He thought that these stories always get out and I guess he was right about that," Steinglass told jurors.
"Their motivation was to serve the campaign -- that's what makes this a catch-and-kill" the prosecutor said.
Michael Cohen was Trump's "liaison" to Pecker, "conveying Mr. Trump's instructions every step of the way," Steinglass said.
"Critical here is Pecker's acknowledgement that he never intended to publish the story under any circumstances … Pecker was willing to sacrifice AMI's bottom line in service of the campaign," said Steinglass, emphasizing that that AMI's $150,000 payment to Karen McDougal was not standard operating procedure for the National Enquirer.
Steinglass told jurors that Pecker thought the story, if true, was "National Enquirer gold" -- yet he would not have run the story to help Trump.
"Pecker was willing to sacrifice AMI's bottom line in service of Donald Trump's campaign," Steinglass said. "This deal was the very antithesis of a normal press function."