Alaskans react to Trump trial decision

History was made on May 30, 2024, as a jury of seven men and five women returned a guilty verdict on 34 felony counts as part of a plot to falsify business records to cover up a hush money payment to a porn star, making Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States the first former president to become a convicted felon.

The unanimous verdict ends a six-week trial in which prosecutors accused the former president of organizing an illegal conspiracy to influence the 2016 presidential election.

Alaskans are reacting to the news.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy shared his feelings on a social media post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"This is a terrible day for the United States of America. The majority of people following these cases believe they are politically motivated to harm President Trump’s chances at winning in November. We need to have faith in the higher courts that they will overturn this decision — allowing the people of this great country to decide who the next president is in November and not the courts. We hope and pray the higher courts do the right thing and that government of the people, by the people for the people endures. My thoughts and prayers go out to President Trump and his family, and like millions of my fellow Americans, we hope this issue is resolved quickly," Alaska's governor wrote.

Sen. Dan Sullivan released a statement regarding the verdict, saying that this was a sad day for America and the rule of law and could set a “dangerous precedent” as the presumptive candidate is convicted months before the election, calling prosecutor Alvin Bragg a partisan prosecutor

“President Trump should be exonerated on appeal. The 2024 presidential election should be decided at the ballot box, not by this unprecedented political prosecution. I trust that the American people will see through this gross abuse of our justice system.”

“The greatest enemy to America is not Russia or China, or the Democrats or Republicans, but the political corruption that now pervades all of our political institutions,” said Alaska State Representative David Eastman, who called out the White House for “coordination of political trials against candidates for public office,” and that the Rubicon has been crossed.

Mat-Su Borough Mayor Edna Devries is waiting to see what the former President will do, saying:

“As with most court decisions, the losing side appeals, so this is not the end of the story.”

After the jury foreperson read the verdict, followed by the jurors individually confirming that they agreed with the verdict.

The next phase will be the sentencing. Judge Juan Merchan, who has overseen the trial, scheduled the sentencing for July 11, 2024, four days before the Republican National Convention is set to begin.

Falsifying business records carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison, but because Trump has no prior convictions, he may not serve any prison time, and could instead serve home confinement, probation or other form of supervised release, or possibly be ordered to pay fines or do community service.

“This was a rigged, disgraceful trial,” Trump told reporters after leaving the courtroom captured in coverage seen on national television media outlets. “The real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people. They know what happened, and everyone knows what happened here.”

Trump is likely to appeal the verdict, which could take many months or even years.

This is a developing story. Continue to see frontiersman.com for more.