NEW YORK — Following Donald Trump’s conviction on Thursday, he has become the first former president to be a felon. Remarkably, Trump has already begun campaigning on his criminal conviction, claiming it as a reason to elect him again.
As Trump left the courtroom in Manhattan, he addressed reporters, characterizing the verdict as part of a larger battle he is fighting. “I’m a very innocent man, and it’s OK, I’m fighting for our country. I’m fighting for our constitution. Our whole country is being rigged now,” Trump declared, denouncing the trial as a “rigged, disgraceful” affair.
Trump’s campaign strategy, filled with grievances, seems unlikely to change much as a result of his conviction. For over a year, he has portrayed himself as a target of sinister Democratic forces, warning his supporters of impending threats without evidence. Trump asserts that only he can protect Americans with similar beliefs from these supposed dangers.
Despite the guilty verdict rendered by a jury of average New Yorkers, Trump will likely intensify his claims of being unfairly targeted by the legal system to prevent him from reclaiming the White House. President Joe Biden, who has largely remained silent on Trump’s legal troubles, is expected to adjust his approach now that Trump has been convicted. He is anticipated to change tactics.
Shortly after the verdict was delivered, Biden’s communications director, Michael Tyler, released a statement affirming that “today’s verdict does not change the fact that the American people face a simple reality. There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot box. Convicted felon or not, Trump will be the Republican nominee for president.”
Biden’s campaign also launched a fundraising appeal on social media.
Trump and his team had been managing expectations ahead of a possible guilty verdict, suggesting it was probable (“Mother Teresa could not beat these charges,” he stated a day earlier), while downplaying its significance with voters (“The average working American has already acquitted Donald Trump,” remarked North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, a Trump ally, on Fox News outside the courthouse during Thursday’s jury deliberations).
Now, Trump must embrace his felon status and his long-standing claim of being a victim of “weaponization of the justice system” and political persecution as he continues his presidential campaign, including the upcoming televised general election debate. Throughout the trial, Trump has maintained a lead over Biden in swing state polls, suggesting that Americans are not swayed by the possibility of his conviction.
A campaign video released Thursday morning highlighted Trump’s resilience, with a message flashing on screen: “They’re trying to hold him back. It’s not working. TRUMP WON’T BE STOPPED.”
Trump’s lawyer Alina Habba, who is not involved in the New York case but has been present at court with him, urged Trump supporters to be patient and await further developments. “We will go and appeal,” she assured. “We will show them what really happened.”
During an interview on Fox News, Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche revealed that the former president was actively engaged in his legal defense and had previously expressed a desire to be a litigator. Blanche criticized the case as unjust and unfair.
Earlier in the week, sources indicated that the Trump campaign had prepared to campaign on a guilty verdict, anticipating any outcome.
Throughout the trial, Trump sought to leverage his court appearances by sending out fundraising emails and text messages detailing his experiences in court. Despite the lack of televised coverage, the verdict and subsequent developments may influence public opinion.
Recent polling suggests that Americans view the Manhattan criminal case less seriously than Trump’s other legal troubles, with a significant portion believing he did nothing wrong. Trump is likely to use his conviction to further accuse President Biden and the Democratic Party of political persecution, a tactic he has employed since before the trial began.
As the trial unfolded, Trump maintained a lead over Biden in swing state polling, indicating that the conviction may not drastically impact the presidential election. Polling data suggests that the public’s perception of Trump’s behavior has remained relatively unchanged despite news coverage of the trial.
Undoubtedly, Trump will seize upon his conviction to reinforce his narrative of political persecution, positioning himself as a victim of unjust legal proceedings as he continues his campaign.
