President Joe Biden called former President Donald Trump ‘reckless’ and ‘irresponsible’ in his first comments responding to the ex-president’s historic guilty hush money verdict.
He later grinned though didn’t respond when asked about Trump’s claims his Democratic opponent is making him a ‘political prisoner.’
Biden returned to Washington from Rehoboth Beach Friday to take a meeting with the Belgian prime minister and welcome to the White House the Kansas City Chiefs.
Friday morning the White House announced that the president would be addressing the situation in the Middle East, but Biden started his remarks by tackling the Trump verdict first – 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 responding to the ex-president’s historic guilty hush money verdict
‘Donald Trump was given every opportunity to defend himself, it was a state case not a federal case 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 juries ‘this jury was chosen the same way every jury in America was chosen.’
‘There was a process that Donald Trump’s attorney was part of, the jury heard five weeks of evidence – five weeks – and after careful deliberation the jury reaced a unanimous verdict,’ Biden said.
‘They found Donald Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts,’ the president said.
The Democrat said that Trump would also be given the chance to appeal ‘just like everyone else.’
‘That’s how the American system of justice works,’ Biden said.
‘And it’s reckless, it’s dangerous, it’s irresponsble for anyone to say this was rigged, just because they don’t like the verdict,’ the president added.
Former President Donald Trump complained about the unfairness of the hush money case from Trump Tower earlier Friday
Biden pointed out how the justice system has endured for nearly 250 years and should be ‘respected.’
‘And we should never allow anyone to tear it down, it’s as simple as that,’ the president said.
‘That’s America, that’s who we are, that’s who we’ll always be,’ Biden said, adding a ‘God willing’ on the end.
Trump has pushed that the 34 felony counts are the result of a politically motivated prosecution to meddle in the 2024 election where he’ll again face Biden on the ballot.
Most of the Republican Party has sided with Trump, complaining about the unfairness of the case.