• D.C.
  • BXL
  • Lagos
  • Riyadh
  • Beijing
  • SG
  • D.C.
  • BXL
  • Lagos
Semafor Logo
  • Riyadh
  • Beijing
  • SG


Trump once again blames Biden for conviction

May 31, 2024, 12:12pm EDT
politicsNorth America
Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference on May 31, 2024.
Brendan McDermid/REUTERS
PostEmailWhatsapp
Title icon

The News

In the first press conference after his felony conviction, former US President Donald Trump on Friday blamed President Joe Biden and the Department of Justice for his historic fate in the hush-money trial.

Trump claimed, without evidence, that the New York court where he was found guilty of 34 felony counts of document falsification was “in total conjunction with the White House and the DOJ.”

“Just so you understand, this is all done by Biden and his people,” he said.

AD

Trump confirmed that he will appeal the case, which could further delay the sentencing timeline of July 11, as the November presidential election approaches.

Trump repeated that he wanted to testify at the trial, but “the theory is you never testify... if it were George Washington, don’t testify because they’ll get you on something that you said slightly wrong.”

He also continued to bash Judge Juan Merchan, who presided over his trial, along with various witnesses, and the district attorney who brought the case. Trump is still under a gag order barring him from talking about witnesses and others involved in the case.

AD

During the press conference, Trump also touted campaign donations that he said were pouring in after his guilty verdict Thursday; his campaign announced Friday that it had raised $34.8 million since the verdict, in its single best fundraising day.

AD