Top internet reactions to Donald Trump’s conviction in hush money case

By Abby Amoakuh

Published May 31, 2024 at 01:25 PM

Reading time: 2 minutes

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Image courtesy of Rob Walsh

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of our weekly recaps for the upcoming 2024 US presidential election. After another eventful week in US politics that reached its climax with the conviction of Donald Trump by a criminal court in Manhattan, New York, we are here to break down the juicy tea of the first American president to be declared a felon. This will include some of the funniest and wildest reactions online, so keep reading…

Although most Trump’s supporters will probably frame the decision as evidence of a continuous witch hunt, the conviction is undoubtedly going to be a stain on the Republican frontrunner’s campaign as he seeks to regain the presidency.

The across-the-board verdict by 12 jurors found that Trump had falsified business records to conceal a hush money payment to former pornstar Stormy Daniels that could have hindered his 2016 campaign for the White House.

The prosecutors argued that Trump had falsified records to hide the reimbursement of his onetime fixer, Michael Cohen, who paid Daniels out of his own pocket.

Thus, the jury found Trump guilty of 11 counts related to Michael Cohen, 11 counts related to checks, and 12 counts related to ledger entries.

The jury’s decision is a monumental moment in American history, concluding the only one of four criminal cases against Trump likely to go to trial before Election Day. Sentencing has been set for 11 July, just four days before the beginning of the Republican National Convention.

As soon as the news hit the internet, netizens understandably went wild and expressed their feelings in the language of digital natives: memes.

Netizens covered everything from Trump’s very own reaction as well as his supporters’, to the enduring question of where Melania Trump is—not at the courthouse with her husband, again.

Each count carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison, for a total maximum sentence of 136 years. If the former president is sentenced to prison, he would interestingly have to be accompanied by the Secret Service—which is required by law to protect former presidents. However, Trump may never see the inside of a prison cell.

Considering that Trump is a first-time offender, it is likely that he will receive fines or, at the most, probation and community service. Trump is also expected to appeal the verdict, meaning that it might take years before the case is resolved.

A trip up the river is consequently not in the cards for him anytime soon.

No matter the sentence, nothing prevents a felon from running for president or serving in the White House, unfortunately. In fact, Trump is already leveraging the verdict for his campaign, painting himself as the victim of a Democratic conspiracy.

Shortly after he was found guilty, Trump’s campaign emailed out a fund-raising appeal calling him a “political prisoner.” Tasteless, but not unexpected.

And that’s the tea on Trump’s conviction. Stay tuned for our next recap to see more memes and stay up to date on scolding hot political tea!