Local, national leaders react to guilty verdict in Trump hush money trial

"This was a disgrace. This was a rigged trial by a conflicted judge who was corrupt. It's a rigged trial, a disgrace. They wouldn't give us a venue change. We were at 5% or 6% in this district, in this area. This was a rigged, disgraceful trial.

The real verdict is going to be November 5th by the people. And they know what happened here, and everybody knows what happened here. You have a Soros-backed DA, and the whole thing, we didn't do a thing wrong.

I'm a very innocent man, and it's okay, I'm fighting for our country. I'm fighting for our Constitution. Our whole country is being rigged right now.

This was done by the Biden administration in order to wound or hurt an opponent, a political opponent. And I think it's just a disgrace. And we'll keep fighting. We'll fight till the end, and we'll win because our country has gone to hell.

We don't have the same country anymore. We have a divided mess. We're a nation in decline, serious decline, millions and millions of people pouring into our country right now from prisons and from mental institutions, terrorists, and they're taking over our country. We have a country that's in big trouble.

But this was a rigged decision right from Day One. With a conflicted judge who should have never been allowed to try this case. Never. And we will fight for our Constitution. This is long from over. Thank you very much."

"I respect our justice system and the rule of law. The process played out, and we should always demand accountability from our elected leaders."

"The Republican Party of Arizona unequivocally condemns the conviction of President Donald J. Trump in New York. This trial was a disgrace, and the entire world stands witness to a desperate regime suppressing political opposition through an abuse of the U.S. justice system.

The idea that a jury would be instructed to convict without agreeing on what crime has been committed is anathema to our legal system and cannot stand. This blatant miscarriage of justice sets a dangerous precedent and undermines the very foundations of our constitutional republic.

"This conviction is a blatant assault on the principles of justice. President Trump's trial was marred by bias and a predetermined agenda, stripping him of the fair trial to which every American is entitled to," said Chair Gina Swoboda. "We stand resolutely behind President Trump and the Arizona Republican Party will not waver in our fight to uphold justice and ensure that political opposition is not silenced through judicial overreach."

The Arizona Republican Party firmly believes that President Trump will be vindicated on appeal. The American people deserve a fair and impartial justice system, and we are confident that justice will be restored. President Trump's unwavering commitment to the principles that make America great will be recognized, and he will continue to fight for the American people."

“In New York today, we saw that no one is above the law.

Donald Trump has always mistakenly believed he would never face consequences for breaking the law for his own personal gain. But today’s verdict does not change the fact that the American people face a simple reality. There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot box. Convicted felon or not, Trump will be the Republican nominee for president.

The threat Trump poses to our democracy has never been greater. He is running an increasingly unhinged campaign of revenge and retribution, pledging to be a dictator ‘on day one’ and calling for our Constitution to be ‘terminated’ so he can regain and keep power. A second Trump term means chaos, ripping away Americans’ freedoms and fomenting political violence – and the American people will reject it this November.”

"Whether citizen, candidate, or president, no one is above the law. When elected officials break the law, they must be held accountable. From paying off people to keep voters from learning of his scandals, to inciting a deadly insurrection on January 6, to threatening our national security by illegally retaining classified documents and obstructing justice, Donald Trump has repeatedly jeopardized American democracy by stoking chaos and disorder, and today's results only underscore that truth.

Today's decision was made by a jury of everyday Americans, who weighed the evidence and found the former President's actions to be a crime. And, with more trials to come, this is just the start of Trump's problems. Young voters are paying attention and we will not stand to have a corrupt, fascist, and extremist leader guiding our country into the future. Trump and MAGA Republicans must be held accountable. They will keep chipping away at our freedoms until they face the full consequences for their crimes."

“I completely disagree with this shameful verdict. This trial has been a sham from the beginning and while I am angry with the decision, I am not at all surprised by the Democrats’ actions and efforts to silence and destroy their greatest political opponent and threat.

Our justice system is lost and this verdict will not withstand an appeal."

“We are a country of laws, and nobody is above the law. It’s a sad day for our nation to see, for the first time, a former president convicted on criminal charges. I respect the independence of our justice system and the integrity of this trial.”

"For close to two decades in law enforcement, I have become increasingly troubled by the deterioration of the rule of law in the way of unequal application of justice and the political weaponization of our laws.

This case is a perfect example of a politically motivated District Attorney who campaigned on prosecuting President Trump with the sole purpose of inevitably having an effect on the election. All Americans should be concerned about this weaponization of our justice system."