Former President Trump on Monday dismissed the prospect that a conviction in his upcoming trial over alleged hush money payments could cost him the November election, suggesting that a conviction could actually give him an advantage. suggested that there is.
Asked if he was worried about the political fallout from a possible conviction, Trump said: “I think it might make me even more popular because the people know this is a fraud.”
“This is a Biden trial. There is no trial. There is a Biden trial,” President Trump added, claiming without evidence that President Biden was responsible for myriad legal problems.
Mr. Trump’s base rallied behind him despite his legal problems, broadening his support and propelling him to the Republican nomination. But there are signs that a conviction could hurt his chances of winning a general election.
End polling A Super Tuesday poll from earlier this month found that 37% of Virginia primary voters and 31% of North Carolina primary voters said Trump would be unfit to be president if convicted. did.
An exit poll from the South Carolina Republican primary in February found that 32% of voters said Trump would be unfit to serve in Congress if convicted.
A New York judge is scheduled to begin Trump’s hush money trial on April 15, rejecting efforts by Trump and his defense team to delay the trial in light of new documents recently filed.
This is the first of four criminal cases against Trump to go to trial, with him facing felony charges in Washington, D.C. and Georgia based on efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Other charges have been filed in Florida based on Trump’s treatment and detention. of confidential material.
In the New York case, Trump is repaying then-fixer Michael Cohen, who paid adult film actress Stormy Daniels $130,000 to keep quiet about her alleged affair with Trump just before the 2016 election. He has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records.
The former president indicated Monday that he would be willing to testify, but he has repeatedly questioned whether the trial will actually proceed during the campaign, and it is unclear whether his lawyers would support taking the stand. .
President Trump said, “I have no problem testifying.” “I didn’t do anything wrong.”
The Biden campaign criticized President Trump in a statement, calling him “weak and hopeless.”
“His campaign has been unable to raise money, has no interest in campaigning outside of country clubs, and is constantly seeking support from moderate and suburban voters every time he opens his mouth,” campaign spokesman James Singer said in a statement. “We are pushing away people with dangerous policies.” “America deserves better than a weak, confused, and exhausted Donald Trump.”
Updated at 2:45 p.m.
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