WASHINGTON–President Joe Biden commented for the first time on Friday on former President Donald Trump’s conviction in a New York trial, calling the claims that the trial was rigged “reckless” and “dangerous.”
“The American principle that no one is above the law was reaffirmed,” President Biden told reporters before delivering a speech on the Middle East.
“Donald Trump was given every opportunity to defend himself. It was a state case, not a federal case,” he continued.
“The jury heard five weeks of evidence. And after careful deliberation, the jury reached a unanimous verdict,” President Biden said, adding that, just like everyone else, President Trump will have the opportunity to appeal that decision.
“That’s how the American system of justice works.”
President Biden continued by condemning President Trump’s claim that the trial was “rigged.”
“It’s reckless, it’s dangerous, it’s irresponsible for anyone to say this was rigged, just because they don’t like the verdict,” President Biden said.
“Our justice should be respected. We should never allow anyone to tear it down. It’s as simple as that. That’s America. That’s who we are,” he said.
Following more than 11 hours of deliberation, a panel of 12 jurors reached a unanimous verdict in the case at Manhattan Criminal Court, convicting the presumptive Republican presidential nominee on 34 first-degree counts of falsifying business records. These charges were related to a payment made to adult film entertainer Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election.
Former President Trump on Friday morning held a press conference to respond to his felony conviction. He referred to the trial as a “scam” and “a rigged trial.”
He said he is “going to fight” and appeal his felony conviction.
The Biden campaign also commented on the conviction on May 30, shortly after the jury decision, urging donors to support President Biden.
“In New York today, we saw that no one is above the law,” Biden-Harris 2024 communications director Michael Tyler said in the statement.
Mr. Tyler, however, stated that the conviction would have minimal impact on the upcoming Republican nomination.
“Today’s verdict does not change the fact that the American people face a simple reality. There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot box. Convicted felon or not, Trump will be the Republican nominee for president,” he said.
The Trump campaign reported a record-breaking, small-dollar fundraising haul of nearly $35 million by the morning after former President Trump’s felony conviction.
That’s “nearly double the biggest day ever recorded for the Trump campaign on the WinRed platform,” the Trump campaign said in a statement. The totals were announced just before 10 a.m. May 31, less than 24 hours after the conviction was announced.
To capitalize on the opportunity and boost fund-raising, the Biden campaign also sent text messages and emails to supporters requesting donations.
“If you have been waiting for the perfect time to make your first donation to Joe Biden’s reelection campaign, we’re here to tell you today is the day,” the campaign wrote in a message.
According to the Biden campaign, the threat to U.S. democracy “has never been greater.”
“He is running an increasingly unhinged campaign of revenge and retribution, pledging to be a dictator ‘on day one’ and calling for our Constitution to be ‘terminated’ so he can regain and keep power,” Mr. Tyler said.
“A second Trump term means chaos, ripping away Americans’ freedoms and fomenting political violence—and the American people will reject it this November.”
