Donald Trump’s gun licence set to be revoked

Police in New York are seeking to revoke former President Donald Trump’s gun licence following his recent criminal conviction, US media reports.

Unnamed officials within the New York City Police Department told CNN, the New York Times and ABC News that it was currently completing an investigation that would likely lead to the former president being banned from owning a gun.

Both state law in New York and wider federal law prohibits individuals with felony convictions from possessing a firearm.

The NYPD has not publicly confirmed the move in the case of Mr Trump. The BBC has approached it for comment.

Mr Trump became the first president in US history to be criminally convicted last week.

A Manhattan jury found him guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records to allegedly conceal a hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign.

The former president was accused of buying the silence of Ms Daniels over an alleged sexual encounter between the two.

Mr Trump has consistently denied sexual contact with Ms Daniels, and of having broken the law.

The 77-year-old has called the verdict a “disgrace” and indicated he intends to appeal against the conviction.

Mr Trump is due to be sentenced on 11 July – four days before he is officially declared the Republican party’s nominee for the presidential election this November.

Police sources told the New York Times that the former president turned two guns over after he was charged in the criminal case in April last year and his licence was suspended.

A third firearm was reportedly transferred to Florida, though it remains unclear whether it is still in his possession.

Mr Trump has been an ardent advocate of gun owners’ rights. He has frequently spoken at events put on by the National Rifle Association – the largest gun lobby group in the US – and has received its endorsement in the election.

At an NRA event in February, he described himself as the “best friend gun owners have ever had in the White House”.