Former President Donald Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts in the hush money NYC trial involving Stormy Daniels on Thursday, becoming the first ex-prez to ever be convicted of felony crimes in a stunning moment in U.S. history.

The guilty verdict sent shockwaves across the political universe, as Trump runs for president and will be on the ballot as the Republican candidate this November.

The New York jury found Trump guilty of falsifying business records in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election. He was convicted of covering up hush money payments to the porn actor Stormy Daniels, who said she had sex with Trump.

The former president, who will likely appeal the verdict, is set to be sentenced on July 11, and he could face up to four years behind bars. Legal analysts do not expect Trump to be imprisoned. Other punishment options include home confinement and community service.

Trump outside the courtroom ranted that the trial was “rigged.”

“This was a disgrace,” Trump said. “This was a rigged trial by a conflicted judge who was corrupt… 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,” he added. “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.”

The trial was centered around a $130,000 payment made by Trump’s former lawyer and personal fixer Michael Cohen to buy Daniels’ silence during the final weeks of the 2016 race.

When Cohen was reimbursed, the payments were recorded as legal expenses, which prosecutors said was an unlawful attempt to mask the true purpose of the transaction. Trump’s lawyers contend they were legitimate payments for legal services.

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President Joe Biden’s campaign said the guilty verdict shows 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,” the Biden campaign wrote. “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,” the Biden campaign added. “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.”

Meanwhile, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson called Thursday a “shameful day in American history.”

“Democrats cheered as they convicted the leader of the opposing party on ridiculous charges, predicated on the testimony of a disbarred, convicted felon,” Johnson posted. “This was a purely political exercise, not a legal one.

“The weaponization of our justice system has been a hallmark of the Biden Administration, and the decision today is further evidence that Democrats will stop at nothing to silence dissent and crush their political opponents,” the speaker added. “The American people see this as lawfare, and they know it is wrong—and dangerous. President Trump will rightfully appeal this absurd verdict—and he WILL WIN!”

Some Massachusetts elected leaders applauded the guilty verdict.

“It’s official: Trump is a convicted felon!” Congressman Jim McGovern wrote on social media.

“Accountability is welcome and long overdue,” Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley posted. “This man is undoubtedly unfit to serve in public office. The threat he poses to our nation and our democracy cannot be overstated.”

“Trump made deception a cornerstone of his campaign for the White House,” Congresswoman Katherine Clark wrote. “And now, he will go down in history as the president who has two impeachments and 34 felony convictions to his name — with more trials to come. The American people deserve so much better.”

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said in a statement, “This guilty verdict underscores the crucial role that an independent judiciary plays in our democracy. No one, not even a former president, is above the law. It also serves as a reminder of what’s at stake this November and the importance of electing leaders who will safeguard our democratic institutions.”

The head of the Massachusetts Republican Party, on the other hand, condemned the verdict as a “political prosecution.”

“Today marks a profoundly troubling moment for the integrity of the American judicial system,” MassGOP Chair Amy Carnevale said in a statement. “The Federal Election Commission and the Department of Justice both investigated these allegations and chose not to bring charges against President Trump.

“It should have ended there,” Carnevale added. “This case should have never been pursued by the Manhattan District Attorney driven by political ambition. We expect this verdict to be reversed on appeal and Joe Biden defeated in November.”

Trump faces three other felony indictments, but the New York case may be the only one to reach a conclusion before the November election. Those other indictments charge him with subverting American democracy and mishandling national security secrets.

Herald wire services were used in this report.