International leaders spoke out in response to a New York jury’s guilty verdict in former President Donald Trump’s so-called “hush-money” case.
Several of the leaders expressed support for the former president, including Matteo Salvini, Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Head of The League Party, who offered “Solidarity and full support for @realDonaldTrump, victim of judicial harassment and a process of political nature.
“In Italy, we are sadly familiar with the weaponization of the justice system by the left, given that for years, attempts have been made to eliminate political opponents through legal means. I hope Trump wins; it would be a guarantee of greater balance and hope for world peace.”
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov also spoke up, saying, “If we speak about Trump, the fact that there is simply the elimination, in effect, of political rivals by all possible means, legal and illegal, is obvious.”
Following the conviction, the leader of the European nation of Hungary maintained his unwavering support for the former U.S. president.
Early on May 31, hours after the verdict, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban wrote on social media, “I’ve known [President Trump] to be a man of honour. As President, he always put America first, he commanded respect around the world and used this respect to build peace. Let the people make their verdict this November! Keep on fighting, Mr. President!”
President Trump and Mr. Orban have met in person on multiple occasions, with the most recent encounter taking place in March at the former president’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.
Both men have consistently expressed mutual respect, and the Hungarian leader conveyed optimism that President Trump will be reelected in 2024.
British politician Nigel Farage, a leader of the Brexit movement who previously campaigned with President Trump, spoke out on X, formerly Twitter.
“This verdict is a disgrace. Trump will now win big,” he posted.
Several international leaders were more reserved in their response.
British Opposition Labour Party Leader Keir Starmer offered a statement, saying, “First and foremost, we respect the court’s decision in relation to the decision in the Trump case. There’s sentencing still to go and a possible appeal, but we respect the court process.
“...We have a special relationship with the U.S. that transcends whoever the president is, but it is an unprecedented situation, no doubt about that.”
Similarly, Mel Stride, Britain’s Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, responded to the news, saying, “As a government cabinet minister, there is a long-held convention that we don’t interfere in elections overseas, so I really can’t comment on that particular question, in the same way we wouldn’t expect American politicians to start throwing comments in about our general election.
“They are clearly dramatic, very dramatic turn of events, and let’s wait to see what happens, but ultimately, the choice will be for the American people ... in November.”
Yoshimasa Hayashi, the Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan, also remained neutral.
“We would like to refrain from commenting on matters relating to judicial procedures in other countries,” he said. “The Japanese government is not in a position to make comments with presumption about the impact on the (U.S.) presidential election. In any event, we are closely monitoring related developments and will continue to gather information.”
The morning after President Trump was found guilty, the Trump campaign announced a “record-shattering, small-dollar fundraising haul” of close to $35 million.
According to the campaign’s announcement, the amount was “nearly double the biggest day ever recorded for the Trump campaign on the WinRed platform.” These totals were announced around 10 a.m.—less than 24 hours after the verdict was delivered on May 31.
Nearly 30 percent of the donations were reportedly from first-time contributors. The website crashed, but officials restored it.
“President Trump and our campaign are immensely grateful [for] this outpouring of support from patriots across our country. President Trump is fighting to save our nation, and November 5th is the day Americans will deliver the real verdict,” the statement said.
At a press conference on Friday morning, President Trump asserted that the fundraising haul could become the largest in American history.
