President Joe Biden called former President Donald Trump “reckless” and “irresponsible” in his first comments in response to the former president’s historic money-and-guilty verdict.
He later smiled, though he did not respond when asked about Trump’s claims that his Democratic opponent is turning him into a “political prisoner.”
Biden returned to Washington from Rehoboth Beach on Friday to meet with the Belgian prime minister and welcome the Kansas City Chiefs to the White House.
On Friday morning, the White House announced that the president would address the situation in the Middle East, but Biden began his remarks by first addressing Trump’s verdict, saying he wanted to discuss “what happened yesterday in New York City.”
“The American principle that no one is above the law was reaffirmed,” Biden said.
President Joe Biden called former President Donald Trump “reckless” and “irresponsible” in his first comments in response to the former president’s historic guilty verdict.
Biden smiled, though he did not respond when asked about Trump’s claims that his Democratic opponent is turning him into a “political prisoner.”
“Donald Trump was given every opportunity to defend himself, it was a state case, not a federal one, and it was heard by a jury of 12 citizens, 12 Americans, 12 people like you,” the president continued.
Biden noted that like “millions” of other jurors, “this jury was chosen the same way as all juries in America.”
“There was a trial that Donald Trump’s lawyer was a part of, the jury heard five weeks of evidence – five weeks – and after careful deliberation the jury reached a unanimous verdict,” Biden said.
“They found Donald Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts,” the president said.
The Democrat said Trump would also be given the opportunity to appeal “like everyone else.”
“This is how the American justice system works,” Biden said.
“And it is reckless, dangerous, irresponsible for anyone to say that this was rigged, just because they don’t like the verdict,” the president added.
Former President Donald Trump complained about the injustice of the Trump Tower hush money case early Friday.
Biden noted that the justice system has endured for nearly 250 years and must be “respected.”
“And we should never let anyone bring it down, it’s as simple as that,” the president said.
“That’s America, that’s what we are, that’s what we will always be,” Biden said, adding a “God willing” at the end.
Trump has insisted that the 34 felony charges are the result of a politically motivated prosecution to interfere in the 2024 election, where he will once again face Biden on the ballot.
Most of the Republican Party has sided with Trump, complaining about the injustice of the case.