'Disgrace', 'innocent man', 'convicted felon' — Reactions to Trump verdict

Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee and former US president, has been found guilty of falsifying business records on all 34 criminal counts brought against him.

Immediately after the pronouncement of the guilty verdict by a New York jury, a barrage of reactions inundated the United States, spanning GOP and Democratic politicians, senators, activists, and media outlets.

Donald Trump

Post verdict Donald Trump said he is "a very innocent man", and called his guilty verdict a "disgrace".

"This was a rigged, disgraceful trial. The real verdict is going to be November 5, by the people. And they know what happened here, and everybody knows what happened here," Trump said as he left the court. "I'm a very innocent man, and it's OK. I'm fighting for our country. I'm fighting for our constitution."

President Joe Biden

President Joe Biden redirected the focus to the upcoming November election in response to the verdict, emphasising, "There's only one means to prevent Donald Trump from returning to the Oval Office: through the ballot box."

Speaker Mike Johnson

US Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, a staunch supporter of Trump, lamented the ruling, "Today marks a shameful chapter in American history."

"This was a purely political exercise, not a legal one. The weaponisation of our justice justice system has been a hallmark of the Biden Administration, and the decision today is evidence that Democrats will stop at nothing to silence dissent and crush their political opponents," Johnson wrote on X.

Star witness Michael Cohen

Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's former personal lawyer who was a key prosecution witness in his trial, hailed the guilty verdict against the former president.

"Today is an important day for accountability and the rule of law," Cohen, a tainted former insider who turned on his old boss, said on X. "While it has been a difficult journey for me and my family, the truth always matters."

White House

The White House said it respects the "rule of law".

"We respect the rule of law, and have no additional comment," Ian Sams, White House Counsel's Office spokesperson, said in a statement.

Biden-Harris campaign

The Biden-Harris campaign said that the verdict shows that "no one is above the law".

A statement from the campaign read: "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."

Senate Republican candidate Mike Rogers

Senate Republican candidate Mike Rogers issued a statement on X, calling the trial "rigged" and saying this was "persecution."

Republican senator Ted Cruz

Ted Cruz, another influential Republican senator from Texas called the trial a "sham" and "nothing more than political persecution".

He said, "The only reason they prosecuted Donald Trump is because Democrats are terrified that he will win reelection. This disgraceful decision is legally baseless and should be overturned promptly on appeal. Any judge with a modicum of integrity would recognise that this entire trial has been utterly fraudulent."

Congressman Eric Swalwell

Congressman Eric Swalwell, the Democratic representative from California was scathing in his criticism of the former president.

"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," he wrote on X.