A Donald Trump-style response. The day after his historic guilty verdict in New York which plunges the American presidential election into the unknown, the former American president lambasted a “very unfair” trial on Friday May 31 from his skyscraper in Manhattan. “We are going to appeal this scam,” launched the Republican candidate from the lobby of his Trump Tower, protesting against an “unfair” decision and a rigged trial.
In a disjointed speech lasting more than thirty minutes, the billionaire also accused the outgoing president, Joe Biden, and his “gang” of being “sick” and “fascists” responsible for his legal setbacks. He also targeted Judge Juan Merchan, described as “biased”, and the jurors, “malicious people, sick people”. In front of Trump Tower, a handful of his supporters gathered in a show of support, while some passersby gave the finger at the entrance to the skyscraper.
“Donald Trump threatens our democracy”
“The real verdict will take place on November 5, by the American people,” Donald Trump had already assured Thursday in front of the cameras after being found guilty of all the charges against him in this criminal trial, the first of a former American president.
“I am a political prisoner,” he also said in a call for donations published in the wake of the court decision. The latter collected $34.8 million in donations in a few hours, according to his campaign, “almost double the largest day ever recorded” on the platform.
If Joe Biden was initially discreet following the verdict, the current host of the White House finally reacted this Friday. “Donald Trump threatens our democracy. First, he questioned our electoral system. Then, he questioned our judicial system. And now you can stop him,” he wrote on his account X (formerly Twitter), by linking to a donation collection website. Donald Trump is “confused, desperate and defeated,” a spokesperson for Joe Biden’s campaign also said on Friday.
Abroad, certain leaders have shown their support for Donald Trump, such as the far-right Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini who denounced “judicial harassment” and a “political trial”. Hungarian leader Viktor Orban also defended his billionaire “friend”, whom he met in March in his Florida stronghold. “Let the people give their verdict next November! Keep fighting, Mr. President!”, he commented on X, The Kremlin, through its spokesperson Dmitri Peskov, denounced him for ” elimination of political adversaries” in the United States. Traveling to Prague, the head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken assured that these accusations from Moscow were only a “reflection” of Russia’s own behavior in this matter.
An unpredictable impact
If Donald Trump’s guilty verdict is historic, it does not prevent him from competing in the presidential election, and its impact on the vote remains difficult to predict. So far, the polls show Joe Biden neck and neck with Donald Trump, even the Democrat trailing behind in certain strategic states.
Because Donald Trump has proven, in recent years, his resistance to the ordeals that would have destroyed the political careers of many: indicted twice before Congress and indicted in four criminal cases, including that of New York, he however, was widely and quickly established during the primaries as the Republican candidate for the November election. And the Stormy Daniels case, which was 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 take advantage of 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 still 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. The president must therefore speak this Friday afternoon on the situation in the Middle East. And Donald Trump’s sentencing will fall on July 11, coinciding with a NATO summit in Washington, an opportunity for Joe Biden to mark his presence on the international scene.