Jury Finds Former US President Guilty; Trump Claims Real Verdict Will Be Issued on November 5 and Vows to Continue Fighting

Former US President Donald Trump was found guilty by a New York court in a hush money payment case involving a porn actress. In front of cameras, he stated he would continue to fight and that the real verdict would be issued on November 5. Trump, who has denied the allegations against him, called the court 'fraudulent' and the jury's decision 'shameful,' emphasizing that the process is not over and he will fight until the end. According to US laws, Trump could face a prison sentence ranging from one year and four months to a maximum of four years, but given his age and lack of a criminal record, he may not serve any time. The final decision of the 12-member jury was made after nine and a half hours of deliberation over two days and was announced on Thursday. Trump is expected to formally appeal this ruling. In this case, Trump was accused of paying Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about an alleged sexual encounter just before the 2016 presidential election. Three other cases against the former Republican president are also ongoing, with no rulings expected before the election. Trump's Democratic rivals hope these trials will negatively impact him in the November 5, 2024 presidential election, although these matters have not significantly affected his supporters' opinions so far. The campaign team of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris issued a statement noting that 'today in New York we saw that no one is above the law,' but added that this ruling does not change the reality. The statement further emphasizes that the simple truth facing the American people is that Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee for president whether he is convicted or not. The Biden campaign's statement stressed that only through the ballot box can Trump be prevented from becoming president again. In an official statement, Trump called the jury's ruling 'shameful' and the judge 'corrupt,' asserting that the final ruling will come from the people on November 5. The former president, who failed to remain in the White House for another four-year term in 2020, reiterated his innocence and his fight for the country. Meanwhile, Mike Johnson, the Republican Speaker of the House, wrote on social media that 'today is a shameful day in American history.' He claimed that Democrats are behind the legal cases against Trump and stated that the American people know this is wrong and dangerous, and Trump will rightly appeal. Ian Sams, a White House spokesperson, responded to media inquiries by stating that the White House respects the rule of law in the country and has no specific comments on the matter.