Alvin Bragg Speaks Out After Trump Trial Verdict

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg held a news conference after a guilty verdict was reached in the trial of former President Donald Trump on Thursday, saying in part, “the jury has spoken.”

The former president faced trial in New York this month, accused of falsifying business records in an attempt to conceal hush money paid by his former lawyer Michael Cohen to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee in the November presidential election, denies that he had sexual encounters with Daniels and pled not guilty to all 34 felony counts in the case brought by Bragg. On Thursday afternoon, a jury of 12 found Trump guilty on all counts.

Newsweek senior reporter Katherine Fung was also inside the courtroom throughout the trial.

In his news conference, Bragg said, “First and foremost, I want to thank the jury for its service. Jurors perform a fundamental civic duty. Their service is literally the cornerstone of our judicial system.”

Continuing, “We should all be thankful for the careful attention that this jury paid to the evidence and the law and their time and commitment over these past several weeks.” Bragg then recapped the trial, noting the evidence presented to the jury. He also thanked his prosecution team, calling them “model public servants.”

Bragg also said when answering a question from the media in part, “The only voice that matters is the voice of the jury, and the jury has spoken.”

Newsweek has reached out to Donald Trump’s campaign and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office via email Thursday night for additional comment.

After the verdict was reached, Bragg took to X, formerly Twitter, saying, “Today, a jury found Donald J. Trump GUILTY on ALL 34 felony counts.” In a statement posted online Bragg also said in part, “In Manhattan, we follow the facts without fear or favor and have a solemn responsibility to ensure equal justice under the law regardless of the background, wealth or power of the accused. The integrity of our judicial system depends on upholding that principle.”

Palm Beach County State Attorney told Newsweek Thursday night, “Bragg’s prosecutors put on an excellent case by building a firewall around Michael Cohen with lots of corroboration. The defense struggled to provide a competing theory that could pass the smell test. It just wasn’t plausible that Michael Cohen would go rogue and shell out $130,000 to protect his boss without Trump knowing or reimbursing him for it.”

Meanwhile, Trump supporters took to social media to condemn the verdict. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican said on X, “I’ll be voting for President Trump on November 5th whether he is a free man or a prisoner of the Biden regime. My support for President Trump has never been stronger! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

Donald Trump Jr. also posted to X saying, “Guilty on all counts. The Democrats have succeeded in their years long attempt to turn America into a third-world sh******. November 5 is our last chance to save it.”