Donald Trump's 2024 campaign got a huge boost following his felony conviction Thursday, as donors piled $52.8 million into his coffers in the 24 hours following the verdict.
Trump's campaign immediately made a fundraising pitch after the verdict - and Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg's celebratory press conference - featuring a picture of the 77-year-old alongside his claim: 'I am a political prisoner!'
According to the campaign, the flood of donations crashed the website.
'From just minutes after the sham trial verdict was announced, our digital fundraising system was overwhelmed,' the campaign said.
The 'Team Trump' campaign account officially announced that their site was down on Wednesday evening.
Donald Trump 's 2024 campaign got a shot in the checkbook following his felony conviction Thursday, as donors piled $52.8 million into his coffers in the 24 hours following the verdict
'The American people see through Crooked Joe Biden's rigged show trial,' they wrote.
'So many Americans were moved to donate to President Trump's campaign that the WinRed pages went down.'
A spokesperson for the campaign said in a statement: 'Our fundraising link is getting so much traffic it's having intermittent delays. This outpouring is massive and reflective of what we've said all along: the American people see this sham for what it is, and they're ready to support Pres Trump in his fight to save our nation.'
The site returned to normal shortly after.
Piers Morgan noted that the small cash donations suggested that there could be momentum for the former president.
'Trump's donation websites are crashing… my guess is this verdict will propel him back into the White House,' he wrote on X.
Several major Republican donors have said they would continue to donate to Trump's campaign despite the conviction.
'I haven't heard anybody who gives a s***, New York businessman and Republican donor Andy Sabin told CNBC.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggreacts during a press conference held after former US President Donald Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts in his criminal trial
'There is zero care about that,' another longtime GOP donor added. 'A year ago, maybe [the trials mattered]. Now, none.'
Although the verdict does not prevent Trump from continuing his election bid, it does cast the already tense contest into even more unpredictable waters.
Those cases, however, are not likely to go to trial before the November election.
In addition to the New York case, Trump faces three far more serious criminal indictments over his attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Biden and hoarding of top-secret documents at his home in Florida.
Biden has so far been cautious about making Trump's multiple legal difficulties an election issue. As president, he is keen to avoid giving ammunition to Republicans who claim he is meddling in the justice system.
Trump came out of the courtroom visibly perturbed after the jury found him guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records.
'This was a rigged, disgraceful trial,' he lamented in front of eagerly-awaiting camera crews and press.
The ex-president said the 'real verdict is going to be November 5 by the people.'
Donald Trump will be sentenced on July 11 but said the real verdict will come in the November 5 election
'Everyone know what happened here...this is a Soros-backed DA.'
'We didn't do a thing wrong. I'm a very innocent man.'
'That's okay, I'm fighting for our country, I'm fighting for our Constitution. This was done by the Biden administration in order to hurt a political opponent.'
'I think it's just a disgrace. And we'll keep fighting and fight till the end and we'll win because our country's gone to hell.'
Prosecutors had a high bar to reach in order to convince the 12-person New York jury that Trump conspired to help his 2016 election campaign by paying p*rnstarStormy Daniels $130,000 to keep quiet about their alleged sexual encounters.
Daniels alleged that she and Trump had sex a decade earlier, which he has denied.
The case featured explosive evidence by Daniels and lifted the lid on the 'catch and kill' practices of the National Enquirer tabloid, which bought stories that could be damaging to Trump and suppressed them.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's wrapped up all the evidence and witness testimony they claimed wassufficient enough to nail Trumpon 34 felony counts of 'falsifying business records.'
Trump's team tried to lay out a strong defense of the former president, distancing him from Cohen's payments to Daniels.
They also reiterated several of their strongest points, that hush money payments are not illegal and Trump solely wanted to spare his family humiliation from Daniels' alleged affair claims.
The case is the first time a former U.S. President has faced a criminal trial.
Trump is the presumptive Republican presidential candidate and is set to take on Joe Biden in November's election.
It means the verdict could upend the 2024 White House race and prove a pivotal moment in the history of the United States.
The charges Trump faces each carry a maximum potential sentence of up to four years in prison.
