On May 30, 2024, a Manhattan jury found former President Donald Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. The charges stem from a scheme to hide payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels to suppress her claims of a past affair during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Trump and his legal team, led by Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, contested the charges, asserting the payments were legitimate legal expenses and not meant to influence the election. Trump did not testify in his defense and has consistently denied any wrongdoing. The trial, overseen by Judge Juan Merchan, featured testimony from key figures such as Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, and David Pecker, former publisher of The National Enquirer. Following the historic conviction, Trump, the first U.S. president to be convicted of a felony, could face substantial fines, probation, or up to four years in prison, although experts suggest prison time is unlikely.