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Fact check: Has Donald Trump been convicted of any crimes in 2024?
Executive Summary
Donald Trump was convicted in 2024: a New York jury found him guilty on all 34 felony counts in the state “hush money” case tied to falsified business records related to payments preceding the 2016 election. The verdict made him the first former U.S. president to be convicted of felony crimes; his legal team has repeatedly filed appeals arguing the trial was fatally flawed and politically charged, and those appeals remained active as of late 2025 [1] [2]. The conviction stands on record until an appeals court overturns or modifies it; the competing narratives center on the jury’s verdict and prosecution documents versus defense claims of procedural and legal errors. [3] [4].
1. How the conviction came to be — a historic jury decision that changed precedent
A New York jury returned a guilty verdict on all 34 felony counts against Donald Trump after deliberating in the Manhattan “hush money” criminal trial, concluding that business records were falsified to conceal a payment to an adult film performer ahead of the 2016 presidential election; this verdict made Trump the first former U.S. president convicted of felony crimes [1]. The court docket and official filings documented the procedural steps of the prosecution and trial, including indictments, motions, and the jury’s determination, which prosecutors framed as a campaign-influence scheme rather than isolated bookkeeping errors [5]. That factual record underpins the conviction and was the basis for sentencing and immediate legal responses from both sides, setting in motion the standard appeals process under New York state law [6].
2. Defense reaction — appeals, claims of a flawed process, and legal arguments
Following the verdict, Trump’s lawyers initiated multiple appeals arguing the trial was “fatally marred,” that key evidence should have been excluded, and that the presiding judge should have recused himself; those filings characterise the prosecution as politically motivated and assert that federal law or constitutional immunity should preempt state charges [2] [4] [7]. The appeals portray the underlying theory of prosecution — converting misdemeanor-level reporting issues into felonies — as legally improper and allege errors in evidentiary rulings and judicial conduct that they say warrant vacating the verdict [8]. Defense filings seek not only reversal but also broader doctrinal rulings, including preemption and immunity, which if accepted could reshape the legal boundaries of state prosecution for campaign-related conduct [4] [8].
3. Prosecution stance and public record — why prosecutors say the conviction was justified
Prosecutors and court records articulate a theory that the falsified business records were part of a scheme to influence the 2016 election by concealing payments, elevating what might otherwise appear as bookkeeping infractions into felonies when tied to an intent to influence voters; the jury accepted that narrative, reflected in the guilty verdict on all counts [3] [1]. The official New York court docket contains the underlying decisions, orders, and filings that document the prosecution’s evidence, witness testimony, and the legal basis for elevating the charges, forming the contemporaneous public record the jury relied upon [5]. That documentary trail is central to appellate review because appeals courts will examine both the sufficiency of the evidence and the procedural integrity of the trial as reflected in those filings [6].
4. Where the case stood as appeals mounted — ongoing legal uncertainty after conviction
Even after the 2024 conviction and the setting of a sentencing date, Trump’s legal team filed appeals and emergency motions seeking to overturn the verdict or limit its consequences, arguing that the case involved convoluted legal theories and claimed protections under higher-court rulings; those filings continued into late 2025, reflecting a protracted appellate strategy [7] [2]. Appeals contend the verdict rests on faulty evidence and procedural errors, asking state appellate courts to vacate the conviction or find that state law was preempted by federal law, emphasizing both constitutional and statutory defenses [8] [4]. The conviction therefore existed in a live, contested legal posture: it was on the books and enforceable until appellate courts issued a contrary decision, which the defense was actively pursuing [7].
5. The big picture — competing narratives and what to watch next
The factual landscape is clear that a jury convicted Trump on 34 felony counts in 2024, marking a historic legal milestone; the competing narrative from the defense frames that conviction as the product of a politicized prosecution and legal errors that merit reversal [1] [2]. The appellate filings and court docket documentation create a record that appellate courts will sift for legal error, evidentiary rulings, and possible preemption or immunity issues; future decisions by the New York appellate courts will determine whether the conviction stands, is modified, or is overturned [4] [5]. Observers should watch appellate briefs, court orders, and rulings for shifts in legal doctrine or factual findings that could materially change the status of the 2024 conviction. [7] [8].