‘I Love You Dad’: Ivanka Breaks Silence After Father Donald Trump Is Found Guilty In Hush Money Case

Ivanka Trump, the daughter of former US President Donald Trump, shared a heartfelt message of support for her father on Thursday following his guilty conviction in the hush money trial in New York.

Ivanka, 42,  shared a photo of a young Donald Trump holding her as a kid on his lap to Instagram Stories with the caption “I love you dad” and a heart emoji. The short and sweet message was her first public remarks after Trump became the first former US president to be criminally convicted.

Trump was found guilty on all counts of forging business records to hide money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels to keep her quiet about their alleged affair ahead of the 2016 election. He became the first US president to be convicted of a crime when a jury found him guilty of falsifying documents to cover up a payment to silence a porn star ahead of the 2016 election.

READ MORE: Trump Convicted In Hush Money Case In A Historic First For A Former US President. What Next?

‘Nov. 5 election’

After two days of deliberation, the 12-member jury pronounced Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts he faced. Trump watched the jurors dispassionately as they were polled to confirm the unanimous verdict. Justice Juan Merchan set sentencing for July 11, just days before the Republican Party is scheduled to formally nominate Trump for president ahead of the Nov. 5 election.

The crime of falsifying business documents carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison, though those convicted often receive shorter sentences, fines or probation. Incarceration would not legally prevent him from campaigning, or taking office if he were to win. He will not be jailed ahead of sentencing. The verdict plunges the United States into unexplored territory ahead of the November vote, when Trump will try to win back the White House from Democratic President Joe Biden.

Trump, 77, has denied wrongdoing and an attorney representing him said they would appeal as quickly as possible. “This was a disgrace,” Trump told reporters afterwards as he proclaimed his innocence and repeated his complaints that the trial had been rigged against him. “The real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people,” he said. Trump gave a thumbs-up sign through the tinted window of his SUV as his motorcade left the courthouse. Trump supporters stood in a park opposite the courthouse along with journalists, police and onlookers.

‘Opinion polls’

Opinion polls show Trump and Biden, 81, locked in a tight race, and Reuters/Ipsos polling has found that a guilty verdict could cost Trump some support among independent and Republican voters. Major Republican donors rallied behind Donald Trump on Thursday, pledging millions of dollars to support the first convicted felon running for U.S. president on a tumultuous day for his election campaign. A New York jury found Trump guilty on Thursday of falsifying documents to cover up a payment to silence a porn star ahead of the 2016 election.

Many conservative donors already viewed the New York hush money cash as political persecution, echoing the Republican presidential candidate’s claim that Democrats are trying to weaken him ahead of the Nov. 5 election against Democratic President Joe Biden. Prosecutors have dismissed those claims as untrue. In a flurry of support on Thursday, mega donors including casino billionaire Miriam Adelson and hotelier Robert Bigelow lined up behind Trump, with their donations set to bolster a wave of pro-Trump ads, door-knocking and phone banking in battleground states.

(With agency inputs)