Trump repeats claims — without evidence — that his trial was rigged

Former President Donald Trump gives remarks nan time aft a blameworthy verdict was rendered successful his hush money proceedings astatine Trump Tower connected May 31 successful New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

The time aft being convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, erstwhile President Donald Trump delivered remarks astatine Trump Tower maintaining his innocence.

He repeated respective mendacious claims astir his criminal proceedings and complained astir a gag bid he continues to beryllium under. In addition, he said he had wanted to attest successful his defense but was advised against it.

Trump’s remarks were a hybrid of self-defense regarding his blameworthy verdict and statesmanlike run offense. Several times, he slammed nan tribunal and President Joe Biden astatine nan aforesaid time, seeking to falsely link nan two.

“They are successful full conjunction pinch nan White House and nan DOJ,” Trump said of nan court. “Just truthful you understand, this is each done by Biden and his people.”

There’s nary grounds to support nan claim. The lawsuit against Trump was brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and prosecuted nether New York authorities law, meaning nan lawsuit was unconnected to nan White House aliases DOJ.

Trump besides repeated his declare that nan judge successful nan case, Juan Merchan, was “highly conflicted.” There is nary grounds of this.

And he complained astir nan truth that he didn’t attest successful nan case.

“I would person testified. I wanted to testify,” he said. “The mentation is you ne'er attest because arsenic soon arsenic you attest — anybody, if it were George Washington, don’t attest because they’ll get you connected thing that you said somewhat wrong, and past they writer you for perjury.”

Trump’s remarks besides veered into an array of different topics, for illustration complaints astir allegations made against him successful 2022 by nan legislature committee investigating nan Jan. 6, 2021 onslaught connected nan U.S. Capitol.

And he besides for a clip went into stump-speech mode, repeating his accustomed anti-immigration rhetoric, saying that American schools are afloat of group speaking “languages that we haven’t moreover heard of.”

His remarks, from nan atrium of nan Trump Tower, came a time aft he became nan first president — erstwhile aliases sitting — to beryllium recovered blameworthy of a crime. Still, legal experts person told NPR that it’s improbable Trump will look incarceration.

If Trump doesn’t service situation clip for nan New York conviction, he’s apt to beryllium capable to formed a ballot this fall.

A mini gathering of supporters shouted intermittently during Trump’s speech. The nighttime before, a crowd gathered connected nan thoroughfare extracurricular of Trump Tower aft nan verdict, chanting, “New York hates you.”

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Former President Trump is recovered blameworthy successful historical New York criminal case