President Joe Biden called Donald Trump “reckless” on Friday after the former president lashed out at the verdicts in New York, making him the first former US president to be convicted of a felony. This dramatic event unfolds just five months before the November 5 election, where Trump aims to unseat Biden and make a surprising return to power.
In New York, Trump, 77, announced plans to appeal the verdict, which he labeled a “scam.” He organized a press conference but did not take questions, instead delivering a 35-minute tirade filled with insults and unfounded claims, showcasing his anger.
Trump described Judge Juan Merchan, who oversaw his trial, as a “tyrant” and accused him of unfairly treating witnesses. “This man who looks like an angel, but he is really a devil,” Trump said in remarks broadcast live by major US networks.
At the White House, where he was unveiling a new peace proposal for Gaza, Biden condemned Trump’s attacks on the court as “dangerous” and “irresponsible.” Biden stressed, “The justice system should be respected. We should never allow anyone to tear it down.” He emphasized the American principle that “no one is above the law.”
Biden’s campaign described Trump as “confused, desperate, and defeated.”
On Thursday, a jury found Trump guilty of all 34 charges of falsifying business records to hide a hush money payment to silence porn star Stormy Daniels. Prosecutors argued that Trump feared Daniels’ revelations would damage his 2016 presidential campaign, leading him to pay her off and then conceal the transaction illegally.
Speaking from his Trump Tower in Manhattan, Trump reiterated that he had done nothing wrong, while launching attacks on Biden and illegal immigrants, whom he claimed were speaking “languages unknown” and included terrorists and released prisoners. “They’re destroying our country,” Trump said.
Although Trump faces a potential prison sentence, probation is more likely. Judge Merchan scheduled sentencing for July 11, just four days before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where Trump is expected to receive the party’s nomination.
The verdict, while not preventing Trump from continuing his election bid, adds more uncertainty to an already tense contest. Following the verdict, Trump’s campaign launched a fundraising effort, featuring a picture of Trump and the statement: “I am a political prisoner!” The campaign reported raising $34.8 million in donations, which temporarily crashed their website.
Beyond the New York case, Trump faces three more serious criminal indictments related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his handling of classified documents at his Florida home. These cases are unlikely to go to trial before the November election.
Biden has been cautious about using Trump’s legal troubles as an election issue, aiming to avoid accusations of meddling in the justice system.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, known for the harsh treatment of political opponents, labeled the trial a “de-facto elimination of political rivals.” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, attending a NATO meeting in Prague, dismissed the comment as “a classic case of projection.”
In Italy, far-right deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini claimed Trump was the “victim of judicial harassment.”