>>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME. DONALD TRUMP TODAY UNREPENTANT, DEFIANT, AND CASTING HIMSELF AS THE AGGRIEVED ONE AS NEWSPAPERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY PROCLAIM THE NEW YORK JURY'S FINDING OF GUILT AGAINST THE FORMER PRESIDENT IN HIS FALSIFIED DOCUMENTS TRIAL. TODAY AT TRUMP TOWER, THE VERY PLACE THE CRIMES AT THE HEART OF THE CASE TOOK PLACE, MR. TRUMP STOOD BEFORE GATHERED REPORTERS AND SOME SUPPORTERS IN WHAT APPEARED TO BE AN UNSCRIPTED MONOLOGUE, HE RAILED AGAINST THE JUDGE CALLING THE TRIAL UNFAIR AND RIGGED AND WITHOUT EVIDENCE ACCUSED PRESIDENT BIDEN OF BEING BEHIND IT. COMPLAINTS PICKED UP BY MANY OF MR. TRUMP'S SUPPORTERS TONIGHT. PRESIDENT BIDEN IN HIS FIRST POST-VERDICT COMMENTS POINTED OUT THE JURY'S UNANIMOUS VERDICT AND WARNED IT IS RECKLESS TO SAY THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED. IT'S WHERE WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH HALLIE JACKSON. >> Reporter: DONALD TRUMP DEFIANT AS EVER RAILING AGAINST THE DUBIOUS HISTORY HE'S MADE AS THE FIRST FORMER PRESIDENT CONVICTED OF FELONIES. >> IF THEY CAN DO THIS TO ME, THEY CAN DO THIS TO ANYONE. >> Reporter: AS SUPPORTERS OUTSIDE TRUMP TOWER FLEW A FLAG READING, TRUMP OR DEATH, INSIDE, MR. TRUMP INSISTED HE WANTED TO TAKE THE STAND IN HIS OWN DEFENSE. HE HAD THE CHOICE AND CHOSE NOT TO. >> I WANTED TO TESTIFY. THE THEORY IS YOU NEVER TESTIFY BECAUSE AS SOON AS YOU TESTIFY, ANYBODY, IF IT WERE GEORGE WASHINGTON, DON'T TESTIFY, BECAUSE THEY'LL GET YOU ON SECRET -- SOMETHING THAT YOU SAID SLIGHTLY WRONG. >> Reporter: THEN A LAUNDRY LIST OF FALSE CLAIMS, GRUDGES, AND GRIEVANCES INCLUDING AGAINST THE DEMOCRATIC PROSECUTOR, WHO BROUGHT THE CASE AGAINST HIM. >> IT'S A VERY SAD THING THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COUNTRY, AND IT'S A -- IT'S A THING THAT I'M HONORED IN A WAY I'M HONORED BECAUSE SOMEBODY HAS TO DO IT, AND I MIGHT AS WELL KEEP GOING AND BE THE ONE. >> Reporter: THE VERDICT GALVANIZING THE GOP BEHIND HIM, THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN SAYING THEY RAISED A MASSIVE $34 MILLION ONLINE IN THE HOURS AFTER THE CONVICTION CAME DOWN, AND WITH REPUBLICANS RALLYING AROUND HIM, THERE'S VIRTUALLY NO CHANCE HE'LL BE KICKED OFF THE PRESIDENTIAL TICKET. >> THIS WAS A POLITICAL SMEAR JOB. THIS WAS AN ATTACK JOB. THIS IS WHAT YOU SEE IN BANANA REPUBLICS. >> I THINK TRUMP BENEFITS FROM THIS. I THINK THEY ELECTED THEIR PRESIDENT LAST NIGHT. >> I DO BELIEVE THE SUPREME COURT SHOULD STEP IN. >> Reporter: VERY FEW BREAKING RANKS, NOT EVEN MIKE PENCE WHO'S REFUSED TO ENDORSE HIS FORMER RUNNING MATE CALLING THE CONVICTION A DISSERVICE TO THE NATION. DEMOCRATS DISAGREE. >> THE AMERICAN PRINCIPLE THAT NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW WAS REAFFIRMED. >> Reporter: PRESIDENT BIDEN, WHO'S KEPT HIS DISTANCE FROM MR. TRUMP'S LEGAL PROBLEMS, SPEAKING TODAY FROM THE WHITE HOUSE. >> IT'S RECKLESS, IT'S DANGEROUS, IT'S IRRESPONSIBLE FOR ANYONE TO SAY THIS WAS RIGGED JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE THE VERDICT. THE JUSTICE SYSTEM SHOULD BE RESPECTED, AND WE SHOULD NEVER ALLOW ANYONE TO TEAR IT DOWN. >> ONE NEW YORK DEMOCRAT DANCING IN CELEBRATION ON TIKTOK AFTER THE VERDICT. OTHERS ARGUING THE CONVICTION SHOWS THE SYSTEM WORKED. >> I'VE FELT SOME RELIEF AND VINDICATION PER THE RULE OF LAW. >> Reporter: THE VERDICT, UNPRECEDENTED. ITS IMPACT UNCLEAR IN A RACE ALREADY UNPREDICTABLE. >> DO YOU THINK THIS CONVICTION HELPS TRUMP IN THE ELECTION? >> I HAVE NO IDEA. >> Reporter: ONLY ABOUT THREE IN TEN VOTERS IN KEY BATTLEGROUNDS SAY THEY'VE BEEN FOLLOWING MR. TRUMP'S LEGAL ISSUES CLOSELY. >> I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HE GOT CONVICTED FOR. >> Reporter: SOME 10% TO 20% OF INDEPENDENTS SUGGEST THEY'D BE LESS LIKELY TO VOTE FOR MR. TRUMP IF CONVICTED EVEN AS TWO-THIRDS OF ALL VOTERS SAY A GUILTY VERDICT WOULDN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE, A HYPOTHETICAL BEFORE, BUT A REALITY NOW FOR VOTERS IN BATTLEGROUND STATES. >> MY IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WAS, FINALLY ACCOUNTABILITY. I BELIEVE MR. TRUMP HAS BROKEN THE LAW. >> I THINK IT'S BEEN A WITCH HUNT SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING. >> HALLIE JOINING ME HERE IN THE STUDIO. THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S SENTENCING IS GOING TO COME AT A VERY CRITICAL MOMENT. >> THAT'S RIGHT, LESTER, JUST FOUR DAYS BEFORE THE START OF THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION WHERE HE'S EXPECTED TO ACCEPT THE NOMINATION, AND ONCE HE DOES, A U.S. OFFICIAL TELLS NBC NEWS DESPITE MR. TRUMP'S CONVICTION, HE IS STILL LIKELY TO RECEIVE THOSE INTELLIGENCE BRIEFINGS TRADITIONAL FOR PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEES. >> ALL RIGHT. WE'RE ALSO JOINED BY OUR SENIOR LEGAL CORRESPONDENT LAURA JARRETT AND HAD A DAY TO ABSORB ALL THIS. WHERE DOES IT GO FROM HERE? >> A LOT OF FOCUS ON THE GAG ORDER, THAT'S THE ONE THAT BARS HIM FROM ATTACKING WITNESSES AND OTHERS. THE JUDGE HAS NOT LIFTED THAT ORDER EVEN THOUGH THE TRIAL IS OVER, AND WHILE A VERDICT CAME SWIFTLY, ANY APPEAL LIKELY TAKING MONTHS, IF NOT MORE, TO RESOLVE. 24 HOURS AFTER THE HISTORIC VERDICT, A VOW TO CHALLENGE IT. >> WE'RE GOING TO BE APPEALING THIS SCAM. WE'RE GOING TO BE APPEALING IT ON MANY DIFFERENT THINGS. >> Reporter: FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP'S ATTORNEY, TODD BLANCHE, TELLING NBC'S SAVANNAH GUTHRIE HE'S CONFIDENT THEY'LL WIN ON APPEAL, ARGUING THE CASE WAS DOOMED FROM THE START POINTING TO THE JURY POOL IN DEEP BLUE MANHATTAN. >> WE DIDN'T THINK WE WERE GOING TO GET A FAIR SHAKE IN MANHATTAN, AND WE DIDN'T. >> Reporter: BLANCHE TODAY ALSO TAKING AIM AT JUDGE JUAN MERCHAN FOR NOT RECUSING HIMSELF. MERCHAN CONTRIBUTED $15 TO PRESIDENT BIDEN'S 2020 CAMPAIGN, AND HIS DAUGHTER IS A DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL CONSULTANT. >> WE FELT VERY STRONGLY THAT THERE WAS AN ACTUAL BIAS THAT THIS JUDGE HAD, AND EVEN IF NOT AN ACTUAL BIAS, THAT THERE WAS CERTAINLY A PERCEPTION OF BIAS. >> Reporter: A NEW YORK APPEALS COURT RECENTLY UPHELD MERCHAN'S DECISION TO STAY ON THE CASE, PERHAPS THE MOST FRUITFUL POSSIBLE GROUNDS FOR APPEAL, LEGAL, NOT POLITICAL. INCLUDING THE FACT PROSECUTORS RELIED ON A NOVEL LEGAL THEORY TO ESCALATE WHAT WOULD NORMALLY BE A MISDEMEANOR BOOKS AND RECORDS CHARGE TO A FELONY, AND THE DEFENSE ALSO ZEROING IN ON THE CREDIBILITY OF STAR PROSECUTION WITNESS, MICHAEL COHEN. >> I DO NOT THINK MICHAEL COHEN SHOULD EVER BE SOMEBODY WHO CAN BE RELIED UPON TO CONVICT SOMEBODY. >> Reporter: BUT THE JURY REACHED THEIR VERDICT AFTER BEING INSTRUCTED TWICE THEY COULD NOT CONVICT ON COHEN'S WORD ALONE. COHEN TODAY REACTING TO THE VERDICT. >> I LET OUT A -- JUST A GASP OF AIR. THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING FOR ACCOUNTABILITY. >> Reporter: THE FORMER PRESIDENT EXPECTED BACK IN COURT FOR SENTENCING ON JULY 11th FACING THE POSSIBILITY OF UP TO FOUR YEARS IN PRISON, BUT PROBATION MORE LIKELY GIVEN THE LOW LEVEL NONVIOLENT FELONY CONVICTION, HIS AGE, AND LACK OF OTHER CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS, NOTHING
