It's been a wild few years in the American legal system. Seriously. If you’ve been trying to keep track of every court date, every indictment, and every headline regarding Donald Trump, your head is probably spinning. Between the talk of "hush money," classified documents, and election interference, it’s easy to get the numbers mixed up.
So, let's just cut to the chase. Donald Trump has 34 felony convictions.
That’s the number. Not 88, not 91, and—as of early 2026—not zero. While he was originally facing nearly a hundred different charges across four separate criminal cases, the vast majority of those cases were either dismissed or dropped following his return to the White House.
Honestly, the legal landscape shifted so fast after the 2024 election that most people missed the details. Here is the breakdown of what happened, how we got to 34, and why the other cases basically vanished into thin air.
The Manhattan Case: Where the 34 Counts Came From
The only case that actually made it to a jury verdict was the one in Manhattan. You probably remember it as the "hush money" trial, though the technical legal term was "falsifying business records in the first degree."
In May 2024, a jury of twelve New Yorkers found Trump guilty on all 34 counts.
Each count represented a specific document—an invoice, a check, or a ledger entry—that prosecutors argued was faked to hide a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels. The goal, according to the District Attorney, was to keep her story of an alleged affair from hitting the press right before the 2016 election.
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Why are there 34 convictions for one payment?
It sounds like a lot, right? People often ask if he did 34 different "crimes." In reality, it was one scheme, but under New York law, every single piece of paper used to carry out that scheme is a separate felony.
- 11 invoices from Michael Cohen.
- 12 ledger entries in the Trump Organization's books.
- 11 checks signed by Trump or his associates.
Basically, the prosecution treated every stroke of the pen as a new violation of the law.
The Sentencing That Never Quite Happened
Sentencing for those 34 counts was a mess of delays. Originally, it was supposed to happen in July 2024. Then it was pushed to September. Then November.
By the time January 2025 rolled around and Trump was inaugurated for his second term, the legal team was arguing that a sitting president simply couldn't be sentenced. On January 10, 2025, Judge Juan Merchan sentenced Trump to an "unconditional discharge."
This was a weird middle ground. It means the 34 felony convictions stay on his record, but he doesn't have to serve time in jail, pay a fine, or report to a probation officer. He’s technically a convicted felon, but one with no active punishment.
What Happened to the Other 52 Charges?
If you remember the "88 counts" headlines from 2023, you might be wondering where the other 52 went. You aren't crazy; they really did exist. But the legal "Big Bang" that happened after the 2024 election basically erased them.
The Federal Cases (Classified Documents & Jan 6)
Special Counsel Jack Smith was leading two massive federal investigations. One involved the classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago, and the other was about the efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Once Trump won the election, the Department of Justice (DOJ) followed its long-standing policy: you can't prosecute a sitting president. In late 2024, Jack Smith moved to dismiss both cases. Just like that, dozens of federal charges disappeared.
The Georgia RICO Case
This one was arguably the most complex. Fani Willis, the DA in Fulton County, brought a massive racketeering (RICO) case involving 13 defendants. It was about the infamous phone call asking to "find" votes in Georgia.
But between the Supreme Court's ruling on presidential immunity and the logistical nightmare of trying a sitting president in state court, the Georgia case hit a brick wall. Most of the charges were eventually dismissed or put on an indefinite hold that effectively ended the prosecution.
The 2026 Reality: Appeals and Immunity
Right now, in early 2026, the legal fight is still technically alive in the appeals courts. Trump’s lawyers are trying to get those 34 Manhattan convictions overturned entirely.
Their main weapon? The Supreme Court’s 2024 ruling on presidential immunity. They argue that some of the evidence used in the New York trial involved "official acts" from his first term and should have never been shown to the jury.
If they win that appeal, the number of felony convictions could drop from 34 to zero. If they lose, he remains a convicted felon for the duration of his presidency and beyond.
Summary of the Charges
| Case Name | Location | Original Charges | Current Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hush Money / Business Records | New York (State) | 34 Counts | Convicted (34 Felonies) |
| Classified Documents | Florida (Federal) | 40 Counts | Case Dismissed |
| Election Subversion | D.C. (Federal) | 4 Counts | Case Dismissed |
| Election Interference | Georgia (State) | 10+ Counts | Case Dismissed/Halted |
Practical Next Steps for Following the News
If you're trying to stay informed without getting buried in bias, here’s how to navigate the upcoming year:
- Watch the NY Appeals Court: This is the only place where the 34 convictions can be changed. Keep an eye on "Trump v. New York" filings regarding the immunity overlap.
- Ignore the "New Indictment" Rumors: With the DOJ under new leadership in 2026, federal charges are off the table for the foreseeable future.
- Check the "Unconditional Discharge" Status: While there's no jail time now, the "felon" status affects things like travel to certain foreign countries that bar entry to people with criminal records. It’s worth watching if he faces any diplomatic hiccups because of it.
The bottom line is that the "how many" question has a solid answer for now: 34. Whether that stays the case by the end of the year is entirely up to the appellate judges.