Donald Trump to Speak on Friday in Wake of His Conviction

On Friday, America will begin absorbing the conviction of former President Donald Trump. So will Donald Trump, and he will do so as he does many things: in public.

Trump said he would speak at 11 a.m. at Trump Tower, a venue more photogenic than the courtroom hallway where he has been delivering near daily remarks since the trial began in April. He gave a brief address — less than two minutes — immediately after the verdict Thursday afternoon.

Trump was convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a scheme to cover up an extramarital tryst with porn actor Stormy Daniels in 2006. That encounter — which the former president denied — led to a $130,000 hush-money payment whose concealment gave rise to the 34 counts of falsifying business records that made Trump a felon.

Trump’s sentencing is scheduled for July 11. He faces probation or up to four years in prison.

Here is what else to know:

— Trump was convicted of disguising repayments to Michael Cohen, his former personal lawyer, as ordinary legal fees. Cohen fell out with his former boss and became a key witness against him.

— Trump will almost certainly appeal. Long before that appeal is heard, he will be enmeshed in the gears of the criminal justice system. A presentence report, made by probation officers, will make recommendations based on the defendant’s criminal record — Trump had none before this case — as well as his personal history and the crime itself.

— Trump can still run for president. The Constitution sets very few eligibility requirements. Presidents must be at least 35 years old, be “natural born” citizens and have lived in the United States for at least 14 years. There are no limitations based on character or criminal record. While some states prohibit felons from running for state and local office, these laws do not apply to federal offices.

— Trump is already fundraising off the conviction, sending out emails calling himself a “political prisoner” and advertising black “MAGA” hats emblazoned with the phrase “Never Surrender.” President Joe Biden also posted a pitch for donations on his account on the social platform X, saying, “There’s only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: At the ballot box.”

— The former president, who is registered to vote in Florida, may not be able to vote for himself, depending on his sentence and whether Florida applies its own criteria or New York’s criteria for felons’ voting rights — a question the Florida secretary of state’s office didn’t clarify on Thursday. People convicted of felonies are disenfranchised in Florida until they have completed their full sentence, including parole or probation, and paid all fines and fees. New York’s rules are somewhat more lenient: Felons there can vote while on parole or probation.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times .