'It was a machine-gun, mob-style hit job': Boris Johnson backs Donald Trump after guilty verdict in hush money trial
1 June 2024, 01:17 | Updated: 1 June 2024, 02:52
Boris Johnson has come out in support of Donald Trump after he was found guilty in a hush money trial.
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The former PM said the outcome made Trump's chances of victory in the upcoming US presidential race "more likely", insisting that the case was "a load of stunted up old nonsense".
Trump was found guilty on Thursday on 34 counts - a crime that could carry a sentence of up to 20 years in jail.
It marks the first time in history that a former US president has been convicted on criminal charges. His sentencing is set for July 11.
Reacting to the verdict in the Daily Mail, Mr Johnson said: "This was no ordinary political assassination. This was a machine-gun mob-style hit-job on Trump."
He insisted that the “anti-Trump lawfare is backfiring”, with the case instead helping “make his victory more likely, not less”.
"The vast mass of American voters could see what I believe was really happening: that the liberal elites were just appalled at Trump’s continuing popularity and his ability to connect with voters – and they were using anything they could find to derail his campaign," Mr Johnson continued.
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It comes after Trump labelled the judge in the trial "the devil" in a lengthy rant.
The former president spoke from the atrium of Trump Tower in New York City on Friday where he confirmed he will be appealing the "scam" conviction.
He said: "If they can do this to me, they can do this to anyone, they are bad people, in many cases, I believe sick people."
He later said: "You saw what happened to some of the witnesses that were on our side.
"They were literally crucified by this man [the judge] who looks like an angel, but he's really a devil.
"He looks so nice and soft. People say, 'he seems like such a nice man'. No."
Trump also took aim at the current leader of the US and Presidential rival Joe Biden.
He described him as "the worst president in the history of our country" and "the most incompetent".
"He's the dumbest president we've ever had" and "the most dishonest president we've ever had," he said.
He claimed a "record $39m" has been raised for his presidential campaign, which was met with applause from supporters.
"In the history of politics, they raised, with small money donations, a record $39m in a 10-hour period," he said.
The Biden-Harris 2024 campaign said Trump was "sowing chaos".
The campaign's communications director, Michael Tyler, said: "America just witnessed a confused, desperate, and defeated Donald Trump ramble about his own personal grievances and lie about the American justice system, leaving anyone watching with one obvious conclusion: This man cannot be president of the United States.
"Unhinged by his 2020 election loss and spiralling from his criminal convictions, Trump is consumed by his own thirst for revenge and retribution."
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Trump's son, Eric, and his daughter-in-law Lara Trump were present for the speech but his wife, Melania, was nowhere to be seen.
The former president said he wanted to testify during the trial but decided against it due to concerns that he would be prosecuted for perjury.
"I would have liked to have testified," he said.
"But you would have said something out of whack like, 'It was a beautiful sunny day, and it was actually raining out.'"
Meanwhile, outside on Fifth Avenue, both protesters and supporters gathered.
A huge "Trump or death" flag could be seen outside one boutique while a group of protesters held signs saying "justice matters".
