Donald Trump denounced a “scam” on Friday after being found guilty at the end of his criminal trial in New York, comments deemed “irresponsible” by his Democratic opponent, President Joe Biden.
The campaign for the November 5 presidential election between the Democratic president and his Republican predecessor has been plunged into uncertainty since a Manhattan court jury found Thursday that the billionaire had been “guilty” of accounting falsifications.
Never before has a former American president been convicted criminally.
From his Trump Tower skyscraper in Manhattan, Donald Trump on Friday described this trial as “very unfair”, even rigged, but without providing the slightest proof, and promised to “appeal this scam” once the sentence has been served. pronounced on July 11.
In a disjointed speech lasting more than half an hour, the 77-year-old New York businessman, who in a decade has turned American democracy upside down, also accused his 81-year-old successor, who beat him in 2020, and his “gang”, of being “sick” and “fascists” responsible for his legal setbacks.
“It’s inconsiderate, it’s dangerous, it’s irresponsible for anyone to say that (this trial) was rigged simply because they don’t like the verdict,” declared the current tenant of the House- Blanche, candidate for re-election.
Trump “threatens democracy”
In his speech, without taking the slightest question from the press, Donald Trump appeared “confused, desperate (…). This man cannot be president of the United States,” said a Biden campaign official in a statement.
On X, the president himself hit the nail on the head: his predecessor “threatens democracy”.
“He first questioned our electoral system. Then, he questioned our judicial system,” it is written on Joe Biden’s X account.
Donald Trump is threatening our democracy. First, he questioned our election system. Then, he questioned our judicial system.
And now, you can stop him:https://t.co/ekIEq70PUl— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) May 31, 2024
As soon as the shock announcement Thursday of the guilty verdict for accounting falsification of payments to pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels, Donald Trump made it a campaign argument.
“I am a political prisoner,” he proclaims in an appeal for donations.
According to his campaign, he raised more than $52.8 million in 24 hours, a staggering sum. “Joe the crook and the Democrats, with their witch hunt, have awakened the MAGA movement (“Make America Great Again”, Donald Trump’s slogan) like never before,” greeted the campaign advisers.
“Verdict on November 5”
“The real verdict will take place on November 5, by the American people,” Donald Trump also said on Thursday.
Some populist far-right leaders have shown their support for Donald Trump, such as Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, who denounced “judicial harassment” and a “political trial”.
Russia, whose relations with the United States are at their lowest, through Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov, denounced an “elimination of political adversaries” in America.
The head of American diplomacy, Antony Blinken, responded from Prague that these accusations from Moscow were only a “reflection” of Russia’s own behavior in this matter.
Historical
Even if Donald Trump’s guilty verdict is historic, he will be able to compete in the presidential election, and the impact on the vote remains difficult to predict.
Polls show the two opponents neck and neck, with the Democrat trailing behind in certain strategic states.
The fact remains that Donald Trump has shown incredible resistance to the ordeals that would have destroyed the political careers of many others: twice indicted before Congress and indicted in four criminal cases, including that of New York, he is widely and quickly imposed in the Republican primaries.
And the Stormy Daniels case, considered the least threatening for him, will most likely be the only one judged before the vote.
Deprived of a campaign on the ground to attend the hearings, Donald Trump still tried to benefit from the media by speaking several times a day outside the courtroom, flanked by his children or elected officials. Republicans came to support him.
But this judicial sequence could also benefit Joe Biden, who intends to strengthen his image as a serious leader, busy with the highest affairs of the State while his rival continues the legal meetings.
Replay Donald Trump’s Friday speech:
Trudeau government silent on Trump’s conviction
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