Biden on Trump conviction: ‘Irresponsible’ to say trial was ‘rigged’

May 31, 2024

On Friday, May 31, President Joe Biden weighed in on former President Donald Trump’s verdict in his New York hush money case—calling Trump’s contention that the trial was “rigged” is “irresponsible” and “reckless,” reports The Hill.

“It’s reckless, it’s dangerous, it’s irresponsible for anyone to say this was rigged just because they don’t like the verdict,” Biden said. “The justice system should be respected and we should never allow anyone to tear it down, it’s as simple as that,” he added.

Biden also added that it was in within Trump’s right to appeal the verdict.

A jury found Trump guilty on all counts of falsifying business records to conceal alleged affairs during his 2016 campaign on Thursday. Trump has since called the trial “rigged and “vowed to appeal the cause—and tore into Judge Juan Merchan and the district attorney who brought the case, Alvin Bragg (D).

Biden on Thursday evening issued a short statement on social platform X, calling for donations to the 2024 race and saying, “There’s only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: At the ballot box.”

His campaign called Trump a convicted felon in its first statement after the verdict and has seized on the conviction to raise money for the 2024 race.

Earlier on Friday, Biden’s reelection campaign argued that Trump’s response to his conviction should prove he “cannot be president,” following Trump’s press conference on the outcome.

Research contact: @thehill