--- title: What Happens After Trump Is Convicted in NY Trial? description: Here's what will happen now that Trump has been convicted in New York, from whether he can still run for President to if he will go to jail. canonical: https://time.com/6980638/what-happens-if-donald-trump-convicted/ author: Nik Popli article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2024-05-21T14:06:01.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-01-19T13:50:34.000Z article:section: Politics og:title: What Happens Next Now That Trump Has Been Convicted? Your Questions, Answered og:description: Here's what will happen now that Trump has been convicted in New York, from whether he can still run for President to if he will go to jail. og:url: https://time.com/6980638/what-happens-if-donald-trump-convicted/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltedfa5eda920bb2a4/698a570e9d83e84ceeb9a1f0/GettyImages-2153310135.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: Former President Donald Trump's Hush Money Trial Continues In New York og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: What Happens Next Now That Trump Has Been Convicted? Your Questions, Answered twitter:description: Here's what will happen now that Trump has been convicted in New York, from whether he can still run for President to if he will go to jail. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltedfa5eda920bb2a4/698a570e9d83e84ceeb9a1f0/GettyImages-2153310135.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # What Happens Next Now That Trump Has Been Convicted? Your Questions, Answered > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. 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It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=445b5a42-7a0a-4526-8fca-202bad7f138e&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: What Happens Next Now That Trump Has Been Convicted? Your Questions, Answered [Watch (HLS stream): What Happens Next Now That Trump Has Been Convicted? Your Questions, Answered](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/lfglgFQx.m3u8) (5:51)  _Published 2024-05-31. Here’s what happens now that Trump has been convicted in the New York case._  by [Nik Popli](https://time.com/author/nik-popli/)  ## Nik Popli Staff Writer Updated: Jan 19, 2026 1:50 PM UTCPublished: May 21, 2024 2:06 PM UTC Here’s what happens now that Trump has been convicted in the New York case.  by [Nik Popli](https://time.com/author/nik-popli/)  ## Nik Popli Staff Writer Updated: Jan 19, 2026 1:50 PM UTCPublished: May 21, 2024 2:06 PM UTC Donald Trump has been [convicted by a Manhattan jury](https://time.com/6983196/donald-trump-convicted-hush-money-trial-new-york/) on all 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a sex scandal ahead of the 2016 presidential election, making him the first former President ever convicted of a crime. The presiding judge, [Juan Merchan](https://time.com/6968242/judge-juan-merchan-donald-trump-trial/), now faces the unprecedented task of sentencing Trump, who turns 78 in June and faces three other prosecutions. His sentencing is scheduled for July 11, just days before Republicans are set to select him as their 2024 presidential nominee. The historic verdict, which could threaten his bid to return to the White House, is expected to raise a series of legal and political questions in the coming months. Trump is all but certain to appeal, and the process could be further complicated if he wins a second presidential term. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg had charged the former President with 34 felony counts over allegations that he falsified business records to conceal a $130,000 hush-money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.[ ](https://time.com/6971667/donald-trump-trial-michael-cohen/) **Read More:** [_Donald Trump Convicted in Historic New York Hush-Money Trial_](https://time.com/6983196/donald-trump-convicted-hush-money-trial-new-york/) Prosecutors proved to the jury beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump not only falsified or caused business records to be entered falsely, but that he did so with the intent to commit or conceal another crime related to violating election laws, which is what elevated the crimes to felonies. Trump has already laid the groundwork for his response and is poised to leverage the outcome to advance his narrative of victimhood and political persecution. “This was a rigged trial. It was a disgrace,” Trump said after he was found guilty. “The real verdict is going to be on November 5th by the people.” But campaigning under the shadow of a criminal conviction is uncharted territory for presidential politics, and the legal issues only become more acute if he wins the presidency in November. Here’s what happens now that Trump has been convicted in the New York case. ## **Can Trump still run for President?** Yes. A felony conviction will not disqualify Trump from continuing his presidential campaign, even if he were jailed. That’s because under the Constitution, all natural born citizens who are at least 35 years old and have been a resident of the U.S. for 14 years can run for President. “There is no constitutional bar on a felon running for office,” Richard Hasen, an election law professor at UCLA Law School, [told TIME](https://time.com/6267458/can-trump-still-become-president-indictment/) after Trump’s first indictment. “And given that the U.S. Constitution sets presidential qualifications, it is not clear that states could add to them, such as by barring felons from running for office.” At least two candidates with criminal convictions have run for President in the past, albeit unsuccessfully. About 100 years ago, Eugene Debs ran for President while in a federal prison in Atlanta as the nominee of the Socialist Party, and got close to a million votes without ever hitting the campaign trail. Another convicted presidential candidate, Lyndon LaRouche, ran for President in every election between 1976 and 2004—including one campaign from prison in which he got over 26,000 votes. ## **Will Trump go to jail?** Trump could potentially face imprisonment, though most first-time offenders in non-violent cases are sentenced to probation and fines instead. The decision ultimately lies with Judge Merchan, who is not required to imprison Trump even though he has been convicted. The 34 charges Trump was found guilty of are all considered class E felonies in New York, the lowest tier of felony charges in the state, which carry a maximum sentence of four years each. It’s expected that the judge would impose a concurrent sentence so that Trump would serve all prison time simultaneously—four years maximum—if he goes that route. For now, Trump remains free. But given Trump’s age, lack of a prior conviction, the fact that he’s the first former President to ever be criminally tried, and that he may become President again, legal experts say there’s no guarantee that a conviction would result in jail time. Instead, it’s more likely that Trump is sentenced to pay a fine and serve a form of supervision time, perhaps reporting regularly to a civil servant at the city’s Probation Department. Under a probation sentence, he could be jailed immediately for committing any additional crimes. Convicted felons sentenced for less than a year are generally sent to New York City’s Rikers Island, where Trump’s former chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg is currently serving his sentence for crimes related to his work for Trump. Sentences beyond a year would generally be served in one of New York’s 44 state prisons. Unlike his other criminal cases, Trump would not be able to try to pardon himself of his felony conviction if he's elected President again. Falsifying business records is a state crime and only the New York governor, a Democrat, could pardon him. (Even in the federal cases, it’s an untested legal question [whether he could pardon himself](https://time.com/4868108/donald-trump-pardon-himself/).) ## **Can Trump appeal? How long will an appeal take?** Trump will almost certainly appeal the guilty verdict—a process that could take months or longer to play out, says Duncan Levin, a former Manhattan prosecutor. He would likely first take the case to the Appellate Division in Manhattan, and ultimately seek review from the state’s highest court, the Court of Appeals in Albany, which has already ruled against Trump’s multiple requests to delay the trial. The lengthy appeals process would be unlikely to wrap up before Election Day. ## **Can Trump still vote?** To be determined. For Trump to lose his voting rights, he would need to be incarcerated at the time of the November election, a scenario that is technically possible but unlikely given his anticipated appeal of the guilty verdict. While the Constitution does not explicitly address whether convicted felons have the right to vote, several states impose limitations on felons’ voting privileges. In Florida, where Trump lives and has voted since 2020, a felon's eligibility to vote depends on the laws of the state where the conviction occurred—in this instance, New York, which only revokes a felon's voting rights while they are incarcerated. Therefore, if Trump receives a probationary sentence and resides in the community, he would maintain his eligibility to vote. Likewise, if his appeal of a jail sentence were to extend beyond the election, he would be able to vote. ## **What does this mean for Trump’s other cases?** While the conviction in the hush-money trial does not directly impact Trump’s other criminal cases, it could influence his strategy and alter the public perception of him and his legal troubles. For instance, the guilty verdict could bolster the prosecution's case in the eyes of the public and legal observers, potentially influencing jury perceptions and trial dynamics in the remaining cases. The conviction in the hush-money case also could impact Trump's willingness to negotiate plea deals or settlement agreements in his other criminal cases. Prosecutors may also try to use a conviction to undermine Trump's credibility in future trials, and the judges may take the conviction into consideration when determining sentencing. In addition to the hush-money case, Trump is facing [40 felony counts in Florida](https://time.com/6286271/trump-indictment-details-unsealed-classified-documents/) for allegedly hoarding classified documents and obstructing the government’s efforts to retrieve them, [four counts in Washington](https://time.com/6298840/donald-trump-indictment-jan-6-jack-smith/) related to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and [13 felony counts](https://time.com/6304750/donald-trump-indicted-georgia-election-interference/) in Georgia in connection to his alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election result in that state. ## Transcript Former President Donald Trump has been convicted by a Manhattan jury on all 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a sex scandal ahead of the 2016 presidential election. The guilty verdict makes him the first former president ever convicted of a crime. The presiding judge Juan Mahan, now faces the unprecedented task of sentencing Trump on July 11. Just days before Republicans are set to select Trump as their 2024 presidential nominee. The historic verdict is expected to raise a series of legal and political questions in the coming months, and the process could be further complicated if he wins a second presidential term. Trump has already laid the groundwork for his appeal and is poised to leverage the outcome to advance his narrative of victimhood and political persecution. But campaigning under the shadow of a criminal conviction is unchartered territory for presidential politics. So what happens now that Trump has been convicted? Will he be sent to prison? Can he appeal? Can he even vote for himself in the November election? We're going to answer your questions. Can Trump still run for president? Yes. Even with a conviction, Donald Trump can still run for president. A felony conviction does not legally prevent someone from running for president even if they were imprisoned. The Constitution says that all natural born citizens who are at least 35-years-old and have been a resident of the US for 14 years can run for president. Being a felon isn't a disqualifier. History also tells us that candidates with criminal convictions have run for president in the past, albeit unsuccessfully. About 100 years ago, Eugene Debs ran for president while in federal prison as the nominee of the Socialist Party, and he got close to 1 million votes without ever hitting the campaign trail. Another convicted presidential candidate Lyndon LaRouche ran for president in every election 1976-2004, including one campaign from prison, but he only got over 26,000 votes. So for Trump, he can continue his campaign even with the conviction. Will Donald Trump go to prison? This is the main question on everyone's mind now that he's been convicted. It's possible, but it's not a certainty. The judge in this case, Juan Mahan has final discretion in sentencing. And given factors like Trump's age, he's about to turn 78 and his lack of prior convictions, he might avoid prison time. In fact, most first time offenders in non violent cases are often sentenced to probation and fines instead. That being said, it is possible the judge decides to incarcerate Trump. And if he does, it's expected the sentence would be anywhere 1-4 years, either at New York City's Rikers Island or in one of New York's 44 state prisons. But Trump would be no ordinary prisoner. The US Secret Service is required by law to protect former presidents at all times. So the prison would also need to accommodate his secret service protective detail. And unlike his other pending criminal cases, Trump would not be able to try to pardon himself of his felony conviction if he's elected president again. And that's because falsifying business records is a state crime, and only the New York governor could pardon him. Ahead of sentencing on July 11, both parties are expected to submit a memo to the judge with sentencing recommendations. Trump will be able to gather character letters from friends, family members, and colleagues, and he'll also likely do a pre sentence interview with a psychologist or a social worker in which he can try to make a good impression and explain why he deserves a lighter punishment. But until sentencing on July 11, Trump remains free. Can Trump appeal the guilty verdict, and how long will an appeal take? Donald Trump almost immediately vowed to appeal the guilty verdict, and that process could take months to play out. It would likely begin at the Appellate Division in Manhattan and could eventually reach the Court of Appeals in Albany. It's hard to say how long that would take, but given the significance of the case, it's possible that the appeals process wraps up after election day. Can Trump still vote? So we know that Trump can still run for president with a felony conviction, but can he vote for himself as a convicted felon? Well, it depends. For Trump to lose his voting rights, he would need to actually be in prison at the time of the November election. And like I said earlier, it is possible that the judge hands him a prison sentence, but if his appeal takes longer than six months, then he'll be able to vote. Now, the Constitution does not address whether convicted felons have the right to vote, but several states impose limitations on their voting privileges. In Florida, where Trump lives and has voted since 2020, a felon's eligibility to vote depends on the laws of the state where the conviction occurred, which in this instance is New York, which only revokes a felon's voting rights while they are incarcerated. So, if Trump receives a probationary sentence, he would maintain his eligibility to vote. The only way he wouldn't is if he were in prison at the time of the election. So what would a conviction in the Hush money case mean for Trump's three federal cases? Well, first, let me give some background. Trump is facing 40 felony counts in Florida for allegedly hoarding classified documents and obstructing the government's efforts to retrieve them, as well as four counts in Washington related to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election and 13 counts in Georgia in connection to his alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election result in that state. While the conviction in the Hush money trial does not directly impact Trump's other cases, I could significantly influence his legal strategy and public perception. The guilty verdict could embolden prosecutors. It could affect jury perceptions and potentially impact whether he's willing to negotiate a plea deal or settlement agreement in those cases, or if he's willing to take the stand in those trials. It might also undermine Trump's credibility in future trials, and it's possible judges may take the conviction into consideration when determining sentencing. Ultimately, we don't know what impact a conviction will have. But it is possible that it influences his legal defense in his other cases and shapes the public's perception of his legal troubles. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/6980638/what-happens-if-donald-trump-convicted/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/6980638/what-happens-if-donald-trump-convicted/"},"headline":"What Happens Next Now That Trump Has Been Convicted? 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