President Joe Biden called former President Donald Trump a “convicted felon” who “snapped” after the 2020 election at a campaign event Monday.
“For the first time in American history, a former president that is a convicted felon is now seeking the office of the presidency,” Biden told the crowd at the fundraising event in Greenwich, Connecticut. “But as disturbing as that is, more damaging is the all-out assault Donald Trump is making on the American system of justice.”
Trump was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in his New York hush money trial. Biden addressed Trump’s conviction Friday, taking a swipe at the attacks Trump and his allies have lobbed at the justice system.
“It’s reckless, it’s dangerous, it’s irresponsible for anyone to say this was rigged just because they don’t like the verdict,” Biden told reporters at the White House last week.
Biden made similar remarks Monday, saying, “It’s reckless and dangerous for anyone to say that’s rigged just because they don’t like” the outcome.
“Something snapped in this guy for real” after the 2020 election, Biden said. “It’s literally driving him crazy.”
Biden also called Trump “unhinged.”
NBC News was first to report last week that in the lead-up to Trump’s conviction, Biden’s campaign had explored taking a more aggressive position on his legal issues. Those discussions included the possibility of referring to Trump as a “convicted felon,” NBC News reported.
Throughout the trial, the Biden campaign had been careful about directly commenting on the proceedings, maneuvering carefully to avoid playing into Trump campaign criticism that the case amounted to election interference by the Biden administration.
Trump has continuously railed against the verdict and the legal proceedings since he was convicted in a Manhattan courtroom. Speaking to reporters outside Trump Tower on Friday, he called the trial a “scam” and alleged that it was “all done by Biden and his people. This is done by Washington.”
As NBC News reported in January, Trump’s attacks on the judicial system have ramped up as he nears key dates in his criminal and civil cases.
On Sunday he slammed the verdict again in a wide-ranging interview with Fox News and said there could be a “breaking point” for the public if he is sentenced to jail time or house arrest in the case.
Trump still faces criminal charges in three other cases: the Georgia election interference case, the Florida documents case and the federal election interference case. He is also appealing the results of his civil trials.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
