After a near 12-hour deliberation over the course of two days, jurors made U.S. history last week by finding former President Donald J. Trump guilty on all 34 felony charges of falsifying business records. The verdict has been the center of stark debate across the nation, highlighting the divide between voters of the Republican and Democratic parties.

Immediately after leaving the Manhattan courtroom, Trump decried a “rigged trial”, and made multiple comments on the dangers inflicting the United States, should he be convicted. These comments echoed his intentions to exercise revenge-laden control of the country if he wins a second term as president.

While he was the third president in history to have been impeached, Donald Trump has now been enshrined in U.S. history books as the first ever president to be a convicted felon, a striking fact that has not been lost on the news cycles since this deliberation was reported live.

Republican voters have remained largely faithful to the former president, citing his conviction as a “very sad day for America”, even expanding on debunked claims that the 2020 U.S. presidential election was fraudulent. This zeal is further illustrated by the continued support by many Republicans to have President Trump continue to campaign as the Republican nominee. 

Even former competitors to the Republican presidential ticket for 2024, like Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley, have since dropped out and endorsed the former president. 

Democrats have also complained of unfairness, with Florida Policy Analyst Kaleema Muhammad saying that, “I think it’s fair that he’s being tried…But it’s not fair to the extent that if there were a gag order on anyone else and they violated it as often as he does, they would be in jail.”

Perhaps mirroring the 2020 presidential election popular vote, the U.S. is, at least in majority, still largely in support of the peaceful carrying on of justice among each citizen, regardless of wealth or political influence. 

Trump’s long standing claims that he is immune are now truly being put to the test, standing trial alongside him, giving Americans a real-time example of what our democracy can withstand, when citizens are truly at odds.

Americans on both sides of the political chasm have been asking similar questions, albeit with varying hopes on the answer. Though it is still legal for President Trump to run this year, his hearing is set for July 11 by Judge Juan Merchan, who will decide the sentencing, which could include probation or even prison time.

Though more trials await the former president, this hush money trial is the only one to precede the 2024 presidential election, presenting something of a ticking clock for both sides of this legal battle. 

Cam Lyons has been an editor for The Thunderword since 2023. Their short story blog, “Loser Pulp“, is released twice a month.