Topline
President-elect Donald Trump was formally convicted of a felony Friday after he was found guilty in May on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, a status that could impact his travel as president to the dozens of countries that refuse or restrict entry to potential visitors with a felony on their criminal records.
President Donald Trump steps off Air Force One on Jan. 20, 2021.
Key Facts
Judge Juan Merchan gave Trump an “unconditional discharge” Friday, meaning he won’t face any penalties for his crimes, including restrictions on travel that could have been imposed by the state of New York with a probation or other sentence.
But that doesn’t mean he’ll be exempt from the tough international travel restrictions other countries apply to felons—including India, China, Canada and the United Kingdom, all of which have strict requirements for visitors with criminal histories, if they’re allowed in at all.
Sixteen countries, including the United States, don’t allow foreigners with felony convictions to enter the country, and another 22 have laws that allow them to kick out any visitors once their record is discovered, even though they don’t actively screen criminal records at points of entry, according to World Population Review.
Trump’s sentencing means he can now formally appeal his conviction and try to have it overturned, which he has said he plans to do, and even without a successful appeal it’s possible international leaders would make exceptions for a sitting president.
Countries that may pose an issue for Trump to visit in his next term include Canada, which is set to host next year’s G7 summit, and Israel, Japan, the U.K., India, China and Argentina, all of which he visited in his first term.
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Surprising Fact
Trump wouldn’t be the first president to need a travel exception. Former President George W. Bush had to apply for a special waiver to enter Canada due to a misdemeanor drunk driving conviction from 1976.
What Countries Deny Entry To Convicted Felons?
India, China, Japan, Iran, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Kenya, Argentina, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, Cuba, Israel, New Zealand and Macau, according to World Population Review.
What Countries Have “denied If Discovered” Laws?
Indonesia, Brazil, Mexico, Ethiopia, Egypt, the Philippines, Turkey, Tanzania, South Korea, Morocco, Ukraine, Malaysia, Peru, Nepal, Chile, Cambodia, Tunisia, the Dominican Republic, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Singapore and Ireland, according to World Population Review.
What Countries Did Trump Visit In His First Term?
Trump visited Saudi Arabia, Israel, Italy, Vatican City, Belgium, Poland, Germany, France, Japan, China, South Korea, North Korea, Vietnam, the Philippines, Switzerland, Canada, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Finland, France, Argentina, Japan, Afghanistan, India and the West Bank between May of 2017 and February 2020.
What Else Could Trump’s Felony Conviction Impact?
Trump isn’t allowed to legally own a gun now that he’s a convicted felon, and he’ll have to provide a DNA sample for New York’s crime database per state law. Trump will still be able to vote under Florida state law, where he has lived and been registered to vote since 2020. Trump will not be able to pardon himself because he was convicted on a state charge, not a federal one.
Key Background
A jury found Trump guilty on 34 felony counts after a weekslong trial involving a hush money payment his ex-attorney Michael Cohen made to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election. Trump reimbursed Cohen through a series of payments incorrectly labeled as being for legal services, and he was convicted of falsifying business records. Trump is the first-ever former or sitting president to be formally convicted of a felony.
Further Reading
