Former U.S. President and current presidential candidate Donald Trump has been found guilty of financial misconduct by a unanimous jury in New York. Trump faced 34 charges related to payments made during his 2016 presidential campaign to suppress damaging allegations against him.
The verdict, delivered Thursday evening, concluded that Trump is guilty on all counts. Reacting fiercely, Trump condemned the trial as "politically motivated," branding it "rigged" and "a disgrace."
He went on to claim that the United States is "going to hell."
Kremlin’s Unexpected Endorsement
In a surprising twist, Trump has received backing from an unlikely ally: Russia.
The Kremlin issued an official statement supporting Trump, claiming that the verdict illustrates the U.S. government’s efforts to eliminate political rivals.
"The verdict shows that the White House is eliminating its political rivals," the Putin administration stated, despite Russia’s own notorious record of suppressing political opposition.
Prosecutor Upholds Justice System Integrity
District Attorney Alvin Bragg of New York praised the jury’s diligence, emphasizing that Trump’s trial adhered to the same principles as any other case in a democracy.
"Even though this case involved a prominent individual, our approach remained consistent: we followed the facts and the law," Bragg affirmed following the trial.
Trump’s conviction has also drawn support from European political figures. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini have expressed their solidarity with Trump, according to reports by NRK.
"I know Donald Trump as an honorable man. As president, he always put America first and garnered significant respect worldwide. He used this respect to foster peace," Orban wrote on X.
President Joe Biden, in a brief statement regarding the verdict, emphasized the principle of equality before the law. "No one is above the law," he asserted.
