Donald Trump has become the first former United States president to be convicted in a criminal case.
A New York jury as part of a cover-up to hide 'hush money' payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels, relating to a scheme to bury stories damaging to his 2016 election campaign.
Trump has pleaded not guilty and has consistently denied he had an affair in 2006 with Daniels, as she claims.
He was found guilty on all 34 counts. Here's how the former president, his supporters, US President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have responded to the decision.
How Trump supporters responded
Trump's campaign said it had raised US$35 million ($52.5 million) from small donors after the verdict.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in the hours after Trump's conviction reported that 10 per cent of Republican registered voters said they were less likely to vote for Trump following the conviction.
Thirty-five per cent said they were more likely to support Trump, and 56 per cent of registered voters polled said the case would not affect their vote.
Three in 10 Republican voters said they were more likely to support Trump following his conviction, according to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll. Source: AAP / Anthony Behar/Sipa USA
Calls for violence
According to a review by the Reuters news agency of comments on three Trump-aligned websites, including the former US president's own Truth Social platform, there was a flurry of violent online posts shared by his supporters following the verdict.
Some called for attacks on jurors, the execution of the judge — Justice Juan Merchan — or outright civil war and armed insurrection.
Threats of violence and intimidating rhetoric soared after Trump lost the 2020 election and .
Plans to appeal
Speaking outside the court after the verdict, Trump said he had been subject to a "rigged trial" by a "corrupt" judge, without providing any evidence to back up those claims. He vowed to "keep fighting".
In a 33-minute unscripted press conference at the Trump Tower in Manhattan following the verdict, the former US president confirmed he would appeal it.
"We're going to be appealing it on many different things," Trump said.
Trump also repeated the unsubstantiated claims the trial, brought by state and not federal prosecutors, was masterminded by the White House to influence this year's election results.
Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg had previously said jurors made their decision "without fear or favour", based on "the evidence and the law alone".
Joe Biden calls Trump's claims 'reckless'
US President Joe Biden — who will — described Trump's claim that his guilty verdict was rigged as "reckless", "dangerous" and "irresponsible".
"Donald Trump was given every opportunity to defend himself. It was a state case, not a federal case. It was heard by a jury of 12 citizens, 12 Americans, 12 people like you," Biden said, in his first public comments on Trump's claims.
Joe Biden called Trump's accusations of rigging "dangerous". Source: AAP / Michael Reynolds/Pool/EPA
"Now he'll be given the opportunity as he should, to appeal that decision just like everyone else has that opportunity. That's how the American system of justice works."
How has Australia reacted to the verdict?
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had a relatively neutral public reaction, telling reporters in Sydney on Friday that the government regards the verdict "as a matter for the United States and their system".
"The relationship between Australia and the United States is a relationship between nations, not just between individuals," he said.
Anthony Albanese called the verdict "a matter for the United States and their system" when asked about it by reporters. Source: AAP / Bianca De Marchi
What happens next?
Trump, who pleaded not guilty and has denied having sex with Daniels, faces a sentencing hearing on 11 July, after which he can appeal the verdict.
Any sentence — widely expected to be probationary, although a jail sentence is possible — is likely to be suspended until the result of that appeal, which will probably come after the November election.
— With additional reporting by Penry Buckley, Reuters and the Australian Associated Press.
