Donald Trump has cautioned that his supporters might reach a “breaking point” if he faces prison or house arrest following his criminal conviction.
In a Sunday interview on Fox News, the former president and current Republican presidential candidate acknowledged the possibility of jail time or home detention at his sentencing on July 11.
“I’m okay with it,” Trump stated, but he expressed doubt about public reaction. “I think it would be tough for the public to take. You know, at a certain point, there’s a breaking point.”
This warning comes as the country braces for potential political unrest ahead of the November 5 presidential election. Trump, now running as a convicted felon, has repeatedly said he won’t accept the election results if he loses to President Joe Biden.
Last Thursday, a New York jury convicted Trump on 34 felony charges of falsifying business records during the 2016 presidential campaign to cover up a sex scandal involving adult film star Stormy Daniels. This marks the first criminal conviction of a former U.S. president.
Although each charge carries a potential four-year prison sentence, experts believe a custodial sentence is unlikely. Trump still faces three other criminal trials, including one related to attempts to overturn the 2020 election results.
On January 6, 2021, Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol after he urged them to “fight like hell” in a fiery speech.
Breaking her silence after the conviction, Stormy Daniels called for Trump to serve jail time and community service. In an interview with The Mirror, Daniels suggested he could volunteer at a women’s shelter. She said she felt “vindicated” by the jury’s swift verdict, although she admitted being “shocked” by how quickly it came.
Daniels accused Trump of being “completely and utterly out of touch with reality,” comparing him to a child. Her testimony in court included graphic descriptions of their alleged encounter in 2006, which Trump denies.
In his Fox News interview, Trump mentioned the trial’s toll on his wife, Melania, who was absent during the proceedings. “She’s fine, but I think it’s very hard for her,” he said. “She has to read all this crap.”
Melania has largely stayed away from Trump’s current campaign, not attending rallies or appearing publicly with him.
