Fact checking Donald Trump's speech Friday

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Donald Trump sought to move past his historic criminal conviction on Friday and build momentum for his bid to return to the White House with fierce attacks on the judge who oversaw the case, the prosecution’s star witness and the criminal justice system as a whole.

Speaking from his namesake tower in Manhattan in a symbolic return to the campaign trail, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee delivered a message aimed squarely at his most loyal supporters. Defiant as ever, he insisted without evidence that the verdict was “rigged” and driven by politics.

“We’re going to fight," Trump said from the atrium of Trump Tower, where he descended a golden escalator to announce his 2016 campaign nine years ago next month. The machinations during the final, dramatic weeks of that campaign ultimately led to the charges that made Trump the first former president and presumptive presidential nominee of a major party to be convicted of a crime, exposing him to potential prison time.

While the guilty verdict has energized Trump’s base, fueling millions of dollars in new campaign contributions, it’s unclear how the conviction and his rambling response will resonate with the kinds of voters who are likely to decide what is expected to be an extremely close November election. They include suburban women, independents, and voters turned off by both candidates.

Speaking before dozens of reporters and cameras that carried his remarks live, Trump cast himself as a martyr, suggesting that if this could happen to him, “They can do this to anyone.”

“I’m willing to do whatever I have to do to save our country and save our Constitution. I don’t mind,” he said, as he traded the aging lower Manhattan courthouse where he spent much of the last two months for a backdrop of American flags, rose marble and brass.

“It’s a very unpleasant thing, to be honest," he added. “But it’s a great, great honor.”

President Joe Biden, responding to the verdict at the White House, said Trump “was given every opportunity to defend himself” and blasted his rhetoric.

“It’s reckless, it’s dangerous, it’s irresponsible for anyone to say this is rigged just because they don’t like the verdict,” Biden said.

Trump has made his legal woes the centerpiece of his campaign message as he has argued, without evidence, that Biden orchestrated the four indictments against him to hobble his campaign. The hush money case was filed by local prosecutors in Manhattan who don’t work for the Justice Department or any White House office.

A Manhattan jury on Thursday found Trump guilty of 34 charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex.

Despite the historic ruling, a convicted Trump sounded much the same as a pre-convicted Trump, as he delivered what amounted to a truncated version of his usual rally speech. He argued the verdict was illegitimate and driven by politics and sought to downplay the facts underlying the case. He said he would appeal.

“It’s not hush money. It’s a nondisclosure agreement," he said. “Totally legal, totally common.”

When Trump emerged from the courtroom immediately after the verdict Thursday, he had appeared tense and deeply angry, his words pointed and clipped. But by Friday, he seemed more relaxed — if a little congested — especially as he moved on to other topics. He did not take questions from reporters, marching off as supporters assembled in the lobby cheered.

His lawyer, Todd Blanche, who was with him at Trump Tower but didn't speak, said in an interview later Friday that he had been “shocked” by how well Trump took the verdict.

“He’s not happy about it, but there’s no defendant in the history of our justice system who’s happy about a conviction the day after," he said. “But I think he knows there’s a lot of fight left and there’s a lot of opportunity to fix this and that’s what we’re going to try to do.”

Trump has portrayed himself as a passionate supporter of law enforcement and has even talked favorably of officers handling suspects roughly. But he has spent the last two years attacking parts of the criminal justice system as it applies to him and raising questions about the honesty and motives of agents and prosecutors.

In his disjointed remarks, Trump attacked Biden's immigration and tax policies before pivoting to his case, growling that he was threatened with jail time if he violated a gag order. He cast intricate parts of the case and trial proceedings as unfair, making false statements and misrepresentations as he went.
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I’m old, I’m frugal with my precious time, Trump lies! Nuff said!

HHIto
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I know this is a victimless crime, but you have to remember the unrest and chaos that he has caused to US democracy!!

Sharky-kv
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❤ A jury of his peers convicted him The reality is, he's a convicted felon ❤

deeyates
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I love it when you can actually look up the information yourself because none of this is secret. It’s all public information. And say that the fact checkers are lying to you.

lolly
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FELON, , , , PERIOD, , !!!! AND, , I’m, ,HAVING A, , HARD TIME, , UNDERSTANDING, , HOW HE’S. EVEN, , ELIGIBLE TO, , BE, , PRESIDENT, , LET ALONE, , BEING ABLE TO, , REMAIN, , FREE, ,

rodneyoneil-kbxk
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Trump conviction 😮 just made him one of the people.

fluffles
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Trump must go to prison or to hell with all judges

herbertgarcia
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Why would we ever email and ask the news anything???

catherineheart
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He incited an insurrection that was very violent!!

ramonamaynard
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All this has done is make him more popular you've basically handed him the presidency. Thanks a lot

kgo
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Someone tell me one thing that TRUMP has said that is TRUE

SheilaPerry-jm
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Could y'all please create a cute little graphic like this for Kamala and Joe? Please be fair and balanced and "verify" for both sides? Your bias is showing. I am so disappointed. I really thought WCNC was the last standing fair station in our area. I am so disappointed that y'all have drunk the Kool-aid, too. JO

mikemanjo
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The country did great when he was present

calientofarmers
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We want Trumps $2 gas 1 % inflation and peace back

kensweetser
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Why don't they point out everything biden says ??? They could fill a huge book !!!

jadepetri
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Fact checking trump is nothing new. Move on.

MicheleSlabodnick
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Why are they knit picking everything Trump says?

jadepetri
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Trump has every right to be mad about the corrupt judge.

jadepetri
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Hey Joe
do you want to Pander a vote
pardon president Trump
maybe he will pardon you but I will not

DavidBauer-ivyw