Summary

  • Donald Trump confirmed he will appeal against his historic conviction in his New York trial in remarks at Trump Tower

  • Trump falsely repeated claims his prosecution was politically orchestrated and that his trial was "rigged"

  • The ex-president was convicted on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in his trial on Thursday

  • His campaign says it raised $35m in online donations following his conviction

  • This is the first time a former or serving US president has been found guilty of a crime

  • Trump can still run for president. He could be sent to prison when he's sentenced on 11 July - but legal experts say a fine is more likely

  1. Thank you for joining uspublished at 21:12 British Summer Time 31 May

    Wall Street Journal, White HouseImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Newspaper headline on Trump's conviction held up in front of White House

    We're stopping our live coverage of the day after the historic verdict in the "hush-money trial", that found Trump guilty of 34 felony counts for fraudulently recording payments tied to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels.

    You can find our latest news story here: Biden: 'Reckless' to say Trump trial 'was rigged'.

    And you can watch reporter Kayla Epstein describe what it was like to be in court when the verdict was announced here.

    We'll be back to cover the next chapter in this story and remember Trump is due to be sentenced July 11.

    Our writers and question answerers today were Madeline Halpert, Holly Honderich, Brandon Drenon, Ana Faguy, Caitlin Wilson, Mike Wendling, Anthony Zurcher and George Wright. Our editors were Tiffany Wertheimer and me, Lisa Lambert.

  2. What has happened so far todaypublished at 20:59 British Summer Time 31 May

    The day after the first-ever criminal conviction of a former president has been eventful, to say the least.

    Here are some major moments.

    Trump said this morning he will appeal the verdict. Speaking from Trump Tower, the same place where he announced his candidacy in the 2016 presidential election and a site frequently mentioned during the trial, he said: "We're going to be appealing this scam."

    In the speech, which lasted about 40 minutes ,he also blasted the judge, star witness Michael Cohen, District Attorney Alvin Bragg and President Joe Biden, while saying he had wanted to testify in the trial and bringing up concerns about crime in New York. Our correspondent Anthony Zurcher said the remarks appeared to be "more of a venting session" and were reminiscent of his political rallies.

    Later in the day, Biden responded to Trump's speech as part of a nationally televised address from the White House about the Israel-Hamas war. He called for respecting the American justice system and rejected Trump's allegation that the case was "rigged", saying: "It's reckless. It's dangerous. It's irresponsible."

    Trump's presidential campaign said it raised a staggering $34.8 million in six hours following the verdict.

    Stock prices for Trump's media company, which operates Truth Social, plunged when stock markets opened in the morning and then bounced around for most of the day. By late afternoon they were down more than 5%.

    Advance Democracy, a non-profit research group, said it had detected a high volume of violent online rhetoric, including calls to hang Justice Merchan, but had not uncovered any concrete plans.

    And finally, as Republican anger grew over the verdict, eight conservative senators announced they would no longer cooperate with the White House, pledging to block increases in non-security funding and Biden political and judicial appointees.

  3. Republican senators threaten political revengepublished at 20:22 British Summer Time 31 May

    Eight Republican senators have pledged to stop working with the White House, a seeming reaction to Thursday's historic verdict.

    The group made up of conservative heavyweights - Mike Lee, JD Vance, Tommy Tuberville, Eric Schmitt, Marsha Blackburn, Rick Scott, Roger Marshall and Marco Rubio - did not mention the verdict directly in a letter published Friday.

    But they all supported Trump throughout the case, with at least four visiting the courthouse during the trial and many repeating Trump's allegation that the White House was using the case to hurt him politically. The case was brought by the Manhattan District Attorney, not the US justice department, and tried in a state court.

    They all also publicly decried the verdict on Thursday and Friday, with Rubio calling the process a "show trial".

    In posting their letter to X, formerly Twitter, Lee said they would refuse to work with the White House because it has turned the judicial system into a "political cudgel".

    "The White House has made a mockery of the rule of law and fundamentally altered our politics in un-American ways," the letter reads.

    They did not explain how they believe the President Joe Biden's administration has hurt the judicial system.

    Here are the things they promised:

    • They will not allow any increase to non-security funding for the Biden administration
    • They will not vote to confirm any Biden administration political or juridical appointees
    • They will not expedite consideration and passage of "Democrat legislation" that is not relevant to "the safety of the American people"

    Democrats currently control the Senate, but under the chamber's rules, a single senator or small group can block confirmations and other votes.

    Mike Lee speaking at microphoneImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Senator Mike Lee on the Capitol steps earlier this month

  4. Listen: 5 Questions Onpublished at 19:31 British Summer Time 31 May

    BBC's 5 Questions On podcast

    The BBC's 5 Questions On podcast has a new episode out now with all the answers about what happens next following Donald Trump's felony conviction.

    Nada Tawfik, our New York correspondent who has been closely covering this trial, explores whether Trump can still run for president, if there is a chance he could go to prison, and more.

    Listen here on BBC Sounds.

  5. More from Biden's commentspublished at 18:52 British Summer Time 31 May

    Media caption,

    'Reckless' to say Trump verdict was 'rigged' - Biden

    Here is some more of Biden's statement just now at the White House.

    He noted that Trump will have the ability to appeal the verdict (Trump said earlier he would).

    "Just like everyone else has that opportunity," Biden said. "That's how the American system of justice works".

    He also appeared to offer counterpoints to many of the statements Trump made in a speech earlier, noting, for example, that the case was in a state court, not a federal one.

    "It's reckless. It's dangerous. It's irresponsible for anyone to say this was rigged," he said.

    "Our justice system has endured for nearly 250 years."

    He then took a more sombre tone, saying America's justice system should be "respected" and "we should never allow anyone to tear it down".

    "It's as simple as that. That's America. That's who we are. That's who we will always be, God willing."

  6. Biden speaks about verdict during White House remarkspublished at 18:34 British Summer Time 31 May

    Biden speakingImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Biden spoke in the White House's State Dining Room, before a portrait of Abraham Lincoln.

    Biden just addressed the verdict at the beginning of a speech on the Middle East at the White House.

    "Donald Trump was given every opportunity to defend himself," he said

    "The jury heard five weeks of evidence, and after careful deliberation the jury reached a unanimous verdict on all 34 felony counts."

    "That's how the American system of justice works," Biden said

    He added that someone saying the system is "rigged" just because they don't like the verdict is irresponsible, alluding to Trump's remarks earlier today at Trump Tower.

  7. Judge and jurors targeted by online threatspublished at 18:09 British Summer Time 31 May

    Mike Wendling
    US national digital reporter

    The verdict has produced – perhaps predictably – howls of outrage and even threats against the people involved in the case against Donald Trump.

    Advance Democracy, a non-profit research group, says it has detected a high volume of violent online rhetoric. There are calls to hang Justice Merchan and march with guns on Washington. But, the organization notes, no one is discussing specific details or concrete plans.

    On fringe message boards and messaging apps, there have been calls to release personal information about the jurors and others involved in the case.

    But the jurors have so far remained anonymous, and some of the information circulating looks bogus. On one extreme message board, purported addresses of two jurors were posted. However, the addresses were located in the New York City boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn. The jury was drawn from only one part of the city, and from a different borough - Manhattan.

    Many of Trump’s hardcore supporters also fear that they are being somehow goaded into rioting or violence

    A top comment on a rabidly pro-Trump message board this morning said: “Feds pumping the next new false flag."

    That's an allusion to a popular unsubstantiated conspiracy theory that says US federal agents routinely stage violent events just to make Trump supporters look bad.

  8. Curious tourists look on outside Trump Towerpublished at 17:50 British Summer Time 31 May

    Pratiksha Ghildial
    Reporting from New York

    There has also been a crowd of amused tourists looking over at the melee of media and Donald Trump supporters thronging outside Trump Tower.

    Some of them are taking pictures of the building itself. Kevin and Teresa Beasley are visiting New York from North Carolina, so they decided to head over to Trump Tower after the heard the news about the former president's conviction.

    Kevin says he hears a lot about America being a divided nation, but he also believes a vast majority of Americans think this is the best country.

    "I am satisfied with the way the trial was conducted," he says. "This is just a demonstration of the rights we have as Americans."

    Kevin (L) and Teresa (R) Beasley are tourists visiting from North Carolina
  9. Timeline: Key dates in Trump's legal and electoral campaignpublished at 17:36 British Summer Time 31 May

    Donald Trump is heading towards an election rematch with Joe Biden in November, and this time he will do so as a convicted felon.

    He still faces three more criminal cases that have not been tried yet, but lots of those key dates are yet to be confirmed.

    Here's a timeline of key dates to keep on the calendar for the next few weeks.

    A timeline of Trump's electoral and legal schedule with key dates is shown, highlighting the 11 July sentencing and the 15 July Republican National ConventionImage source, .
  10. What to read to catch-uppublished at 17:25 British Summer Time 31 May

    There are lots of questions over what this means - and the BBC's North America team has addressed many of them.

    Firstly, here's a look at why Trump's lawyers lost the trial.

    This was the scene in the courtroom and Trump's reaction when the guilty verdict was read out.

    And of course, what does this now mean for US politics? Our reporters have several analyses:

  11. Supporters gather outside Trump Towerpublished at 17:14 British Summer Time 31 May

    Pratiksha Ghildial
    Reporting from outside Trump Tower

    A man wearing a Make America Great Again hat poses outside of Trump Tower

    Meanwhile, back on the street outside Trump Tower, a small group of supporters and some curious onlookers have gathered.

    One supporter is holding a flag that rather dramatically reads “Trump or Death”.

    Another is shouting some colourful language about the Democrats and how Donald Trump is being targeted by the party.

    George Dallas tells the BBC that he is here because the former president needs his family today and he considers himself an extension of that.

    “Every law scholar says this was a sham trial," he says, somewhat parroting what Trump has been saying since the trial got under way.

  12. Trump Media shares fall after guilty verdictpublished at 17:09 British Summer Time 31 May

    Natalie Sherman
    New York business reporter

    Shares in Donald Trump’s social media company sank in after-hours trading when the jury delivered its guilty verdict, bounced back, then started sinking again when markets opened this morning.

    Such quick turns are no surprise. Since its formal debut on the stock market this spring, Trump Media, operator of Truth Social, has often seen dramatic daily swings in its share price.

    If anything, the moves (for now) appear relatively muted.

    As of mid-morning in New York, the share price was down about 5%, trading around $49 apiece.

    That implies Trump's stake is worth more than $3.8bn.

    For now, he is barred from selling his holdings, but those restrictions are set to lift later this summer.

  13. Analysis

    Trump seems more weary than angrypublished at 16:59 British Summer Time 31 May

    John Sudworth
    North America Correspondent, reporting from inside Trump Tower

    Despite the fury with which Trump has been traducing the American legal system in his online posts, at times he seemed more weary than angry.

    Have the long weeks of the trial worn him down? Has that history-making tidal wave of 34 guilty verdicts taken its toll? Or maybe the downcast demeanour of the persecuted is good for business?

    He received the largest cheer from assembled staff and family members when he mentioned that the campaign had raised records amounts of money in the few hours since the guilty verdict.

  14. Trump confirmed he'll appeal his convictionpublished at 16:55 British Summer Time 31 May

    TrumpImage source, Reuters

    During his approximately 40-minute speech, Trump confirmed he plans to appeal his conviction.

    "We're gong to be appealing this scam," he said.

    "We're going to be appealing it on many different things," Trump added, complaining about the conduct of Justice Juan Merchan.

    "He wouldn't allow us to have witnesses, he wouldn't allow us to talk, he wouldn't allow us to do anything. The judge was a tyrant."

  15. Trump’s misleading Daily Mail poll claimpublished at 16:48 British Summer Time 31 May

    Mike Wendling
    US national digital reporter

    Several times in his speech, Trump mentioned a Daily Mail poll, external indicating that his standing among voters rose immediately after the verdict.

    “The Daily Mail just came out with a poll and it has Trump up six points in the last 12 hours,” he said. “Six points since this happened. Who thought this could happen?"

    However, the poll was measuring favourability and not, as Trump implied, voting intention.

    The pollsters asked an online panel of 400 likely voters whether their view of Trump had changed. While 16% said that their view of the former president had turned more negative, 22% said they saw Trump in a more positive light.

    Most voters said the verdict hadn’t changed their perception of Trump. And his overall favourabilty/unfavourability numbers were split almost evenly: 49%-48%.

    James Johnson, who conducted the poll, told the paper: “Our snap poll of a representative sample of likely voters shows that for most Americans the trial has not changed their deep-set views of Trump.”

    The real effect of the guilty verdict on the presidential race – if any – will only become clear in the days and weeks ahead.

  16. Trump also took aim at congressional committee that investigated the Capitol riotpublished at 16:46 British Summer Time 31 May

    TrumpImage source, Reuters

    Toward the end of his remarks, Trump turned his attention the riot at the Capitol by a crowd of his supporters on 6 January, 2021.

    He hit out at the congressional committee tasked with investigating the events of that day, including Trump's own actions.

    "They call it the select committee, I call it the unselect committee of thugs," he said, criticising the makeup of the panel of mostly Democrats and two "wayward" Republicans, both of whom are no longer in congress: Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney.

  17. Costello, the witness who muttered 'jeez', was treated badly, Trump saidpublished at 16:45 British Summer Time 31 May

    Trump in his remarks frequenly bashed the trial and Justice Juan Merchan, calling him a "tyrant".

    "You saw that with Bob Costello," Trump says, referring to one of the two witnesses the defence called, Robert Costello, a lawyer who once advised Michael Cohen.

    Costello "acted upset" Trump says, because of how unfairly he was treated.

    "I've never seen anyone be treated that badly by a judge," he says.

    At one point, Merchan cleared the courtroom to reprimand Costello, who was noticeably frustrated on the stand while testifying and clashed with the judge and prosecutors, at one point audibly muttering "jeez".

  18. Trump finishes speakingpublished at 16:40 British Summer Time 31 May

    Tiffany Wertheimer
    US Reporter

    TrumpImage source, Reuters

    Donald Trump has now finished speaking, after about 40 minutes.

    His son and daughter-in-law, Eric and Lara Trump were in the crowd, however it's interesting to note that no one from his family - nor his legal or campaign team - were standing with the former president, during what is quite an important moment for him.

    Stick with us, we have more lines from his conference, and analysis to bring you.

  19. Analysis

    Analysis - Typical Trump venting sessionpublished at 16:36 British Summer Time 31 May

    Anthony Zurcher
    BBC North America correspondent

    If there is a defined campaign strategy behind Donald Trump’s remarks, which is still ongoing, it is not apparent.

    The former president has been speaking for nearly 40 minutes now, and it is the kind of stream-of-consciousness remarks that are more typical of his political rallies.

    He’s lashed out at New York prosecutors and the judge who presided in his case, lamented the unfairness of his felony conviction and questioned the veracity of some of the witnesses.

    This is more of a venting session than anything else – perhaps good for the psyche of a man who received a historic legal defeat yesterday.

  20. Turning back to campaign, Trump says verdict helped him raise millionspublished at 16:33 British Summer Time 31 May

    After spending some 20 minutes talking solely about the criminal case, Trump turns his attention to the campaign trail, specifically fundraising.

    Trump says he raised $39 million in a "record period".

    This morning the Trump campaign announced they raised $34.8 million in 6 hours from the verdict.