What will happen if Donald Trump is found guilty?

Donald Trump has made his intentions clear to run again to be US president next year — and is set to do so amid a criminal trial.

Trump, 76, appeared before a New York court on Tuesday, where he pleaded not guilty to 34 indictments. But this is just the start.

Trump will likely re-appear in court as part of a pre-trial hearing in December, before going before a trial in 2024 if it all plays out as expected.

America will vote for its next president in November 2024. Trump is hoping to secure the Republican nomination to run for the third time in a row.

Why is Trump in court?

Trump is accused of 34 counts of falsifying business records. Under the US system, a grand jury decided in March there was a case to bring forward prosecution proceedings.

Trump was accused in New York of orchestrating hush-money payments to cover up claims of extramarital affairs that dated back to when he originally ran for office in 2016.

He is alleged to have made payments to former porn star Stormy Daniels, ex-Playboy model Karen McDougal and a former Trump Tower doorman — who claimed the ex-president fathered a child out of wedlock.

Trump pleaded not guilty to all indictments on Tuesday (April 4).

What happens next?

Following Trump’s arraignment, prosecutors are expected to produce their evidence in the next 65 days.

The former US president’s legal team then has until August 8 to file any motions — requests to the court for a judge to decide the case.

The prosecution will respond by September 19.

Judge Juan Merchan said he will rule on the motions at the next in-person hearing, scheduled for December 4.

Trump’s lawyers are expected to work over the next few months to get the case, and any possible trial, dismissed.

While legal proceedings rumble on in the background, Trump will press ahead with his re-election campaign and has secured a surge in support after Tuesday’s events.

Trump was greeted by a rapturous reception from fans wearing Maga [Make America Great Again] baseball caps in Mar-a-Lago, saw his lead stretch in the Republican polls and gained further donations.

While a trial is not guaranteed, it seems that it is the most likely next step. Daniels would be the obvious candidate for the prosecution to call on as a witness, which could cause potential embarrassment for Trump.

If Trump is convicted, each count could result in a prison sentence of up to four years, to be served consecutively. This means that, in the worst-case scenario for Trump, he could be given 136 years.

But it is also possible a prison sentence could not be invoked at all by the judge.

Can Trump run for president again?

Yes. Legal experts have told Time magazine that Trump would be able to run for office as there is no constitutional bar on a convicted felon taking office.

To become president, one must be US-born, above 35 years old and have been a resident in the country for at least 14 years.

However, while he would not be constitutionally barred, Trump may find the practical hurdles debilitating if he was sentenced to a gaol term. If he was convicted, the odd scenario could emerge that he would not be able to vote for himself.

A conviction may also put off voters from backing him, although Trump has said “Probably, it’ll enhance my numbers”.

Whatever the outcome, Trump will likely continue to turn his attention to his election campaign and, according to insiders, stands a chance of winning.

Pollsters have Joe Biden as the favourite, with Trump second and Republican insurgent Ron De Santis third.

What have other people said?

Experts have spoken about the likelihood of Trump being convicted by a jury.

“There are an awful lot of dots here which it takes a bit of imagination to connect,” said Richard Klein, a Touro Law Centre criminal law professor.

Meanwhile, Renato Mariotti, a former federal prosecutor, told ABC News: “They did talk about tax crimes, and I think that could be potentially more compelling for the jury.

“It’s a safer bet than the campaign finance crimes.”

As for whether Trump can still win the 2024 presidential election, former deputy chief of mission to the US embassy in London, Lewis Lukens, told Sky News he can “if he concentrated... on the right issues” and “stuck to the script”.

But, “people get tired of Donald Trump complaining about how difficult his life has been” and President Joe Biden will win, Mr Lukens said on Wednesday.

“The problem for Donald Trump is that he hasn’t changed very much.

“If he could change and become a serious issues-focused politician I think he would have a very good chance of winning the presidency again, but I think he’s incapable of change.”

Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene on Tuesday hosted a nearby rally in support of Trump. However, she was forced to flee when anti-Trump protesters moved in.

The far-right campaigner was heard shouting “This is a travesty,” branding Democrats the “party of violence” as she was drowned out by opponents. Elsewhere in New York City, a Trump fan looked to break up a banner that read ‘Trump lies all the time’.