Trump After Conviction: 'Real Verdict' Is the Election

Donald Trump remained as defiant as ever after his historic conviction on Thursday, pronouncing himself "a very innocent man" who was railroaded by an unfair trial.

• "This was a rigged, disgraceful trial," he said outside the courtroom, reports the Hill. "The real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people, and they know what happened here, and everybody knows what happened here."
• "This was a rigged decision right from day one with a conflicted judge who should have never been allowed to try this case. Never," Trump continued. "And we will fight for our Constitution. This is long from over. Thank you very much." He spoke after a jury convicted him on all 34 counts of falsifying business records, with sentencing scheduled for July.

• Trump Jr.: The former president's son continued the theme, notes the Washington Post. "Guilty on all counts," Trump Jr. tweeted. "The Democrats have succeeded in their years long attempt to turn America into a third-world s---hole. November 5 is our last chance to save it."
• The speaker: House Speaker Mike Johnson, meanwhile, called this a "shameful day in American history" in a statement. "Democrats cheered as they convicted the leader of the opposing party on ridiculous charges, predicated on the testimony of a disbarred, convicted felon. This was a purely political exercise, not a legal one."
• Democrats: President Biden's communications director did indeed praise the outcome, but he also warned that Trump could still win in November, notes Politico. "There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office," said Michael Tyler. "At the ballot box."

(More Trump hush-money trial stories.)