Biden criticizes Trump for ‘reckless’ attacks in trial that convicted him

“It’s reckless, it’s dangerous, and it’s irresponsible for someone to claim the trial was rigged just because they don’t like the verdict,” Biden said from the White House. It was his first comment since Trump was convicted by a jury in Manhattan on Thursday. “The justice system should be respected, and we should never allow anyone to destroy it.”

Earlier Friday, Trump again railed against the trial, attacking judges, prosecutors and witnesses. He claimed without evidence that Biden was behind the prosecution – which was led by a state district attorney – and claimed: “We live in a fascist state.”

A day earlier, as he left the courthouse after the verdict was announced, Trump complained that the trial was “rigged” and a “disgrace.”

The competing media messages from the two top candidates for the 2024 presidential election came at an unprecedented time in the history of US presidential elections. On Thursday, a New York jury found Trump guilty on 34 counts, making him the first former president to be convicted of serious crimes.

The former president has attacked the justice system throughout the process, including Judge Juan Merchan and District Attorney Alvin Bragg. On Friday, Trump made a series of false or misleading claims during a wide-ranging press conference in response to the convictions, resurfacing his long-standing grievances.

He also claimed that holding the trial in Manhattan, where the majority of voters are liberal Democrats, denied him a fair trial.

“This is a fraud. This is a rigged process,” Trump said, calling the judge a “devil” who had conflicts of interest. “This should not have taken place in this setting. We should not have had this judge.”

Biden, who announced an unscheduled speech on the war in Gaza on Friday, used the first part of his speech to briefly address Trump’s conviction, using direct language that he had previously avoided to protect himself from accusations of political interference in the case.

“The American principle that no one is above the law has been reaffirmed,” Biden said, pointing out that a jury had unanimously found Trump guilty and that this was a state, not federal, trial being conducted by his administration.

The president also sought to portray Trump’s claims of a rigged and biased process as inconsistent with his own view that the U.S. justice system is a pillar of the country’s democracy.

“Our justice system has existed for nearly 250 years and is literally the cornerstone of America,” Biden said.

Biden’s comments were notable because his son Hunter Biden will soon have to stand before his own jury. Hunter Biden was accused of lying about his use of illegal drugs on a form he had to fill out in 2018 to buy a gun. His federal trial on these charges is scheduled to begin on Monday.

Hunter Biden is also set to face tax evasion charges in California after prosecutors accused him of failing to pay around $1.4 million in taxes.

He pleaded not guilty in all cases. The president largely avoided commenting publicly on the matter. He simply said that his son, who had long suffered from drug addiction, had done nothing wrong.

“The President and First Lady love their son,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Monday, declining to comment on the details of the case as of Monday. “They are proud of how their son has gotten back on his feet and continued his progress, and they will continue to support him.”

The 2024 campaign is unusually intertwined with the justice system. Trump will almost certainly appeal his conviction, and he faces three other criminal charges—for misusing classified documents and attempting to overturn the 2020 election—but none are likely to go to trial before the election.