Hollywood Reacts After Donald Trump Found Guilty in Hush Money Trial

News By TooFab Staff |
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After two days of deliberation, the jury found the former president and current presidential candidate guilty of all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records he was facing.

Since closing arguments wrapped on Tuesday, the nation has been waiting to hear how the jury would come back in the criminal hush money/campaign finance trial of former president and current candidate for the highest office, Donald Trump.

The presumptive Republican nominee for the presidential ticket was facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, all of it to do with the $130,000 payout through his then-attorney Michael Cohen to former adult film star Stormy Daniels.

The hush money payment came amid the 2016 election in an attempt to keep the alleged affair out of the press. As noted by TMZ, that in itself is not a crime. Thus, the prosecution looked at allegations that Trump had falsified business records to cover up the payment.

Throughout the trial, during which the former president did not take the stand in his own defense, his attorney Todd Blanche maintained his innocence. "He did not commit any crimes, and the district attorney has not met their burden of proof -- period," he argued to the jury. "The evidence is all in."

While Blanche argued in court, Trump did a lot of arguing outside the courtroom, blasting the whole process over and over again on his Truth Social platform.

He was facing up to four years in prison on each count, with a unanimous decision from the jury necessary to convict. According to TMZ, Trump is facing a maximum of four years in prison, though defendants in these kinds of cases usually wind up with probation.

According to CNBC, Trump had "his arms crossed and a resigned look on his face" after the announcement came at 4:20 p.m. ET that the jury had reached its verdict. He would have to wait a bit longer to hear it, though, as they asked for an addition 30 minutes to fill out the forms.

The jury deliberated for nearly 12 hours across two days before announcing they'd reached a verdict. Trump was the first former U.S. president to be charged with a crime, and now is the first to be convicted. Sentencing is set for 10 a.m. on July 11, just four days before the Republican National Convention.

As expected, social media immediately blew up with news of the verdict, including plenty of celebrity reactions -- both positive and negative. They've certainly not been shy about their feelings on the former president before this, so they weren't going to start now!

One of the most outspoken celebrities disappointed in the verdict was Savannah Chrisley, who said it weighed "heavy on my heart" in a lengthy post to Instagram. "It is undeniably a somber day, not only for his supporters but for anyone who believes in the principles of fairness and justice," she wrote, saying "Regardless of one’s political affiliation, the conviction of a former president is a poignant moment that underscores the gravity of our legal system."

She also criticized what she saw as the "perceived abuse of power within the Department of Justice," adding, "It is imperative that we hold accountable those who betray the public trust, but equally important is ensuring that justice is administered fairly and without bias."

Her post was met with a wave of criticism from followers, some who said said Trump was "a bad man" and "Justice was served today." Colton Underwood's husband Jordan C. Brown added, "There was a jury, including one juror who got news from Fox and Truth Social (safe to assume he voted for Trump). The guilty verdict had to be unanimous. President Trump has a right to appeal like anyone else. Somber indeed but not unjust!" -- while Trishelle Cannatella asked, "Hacked?"

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