Donald Trump says conviction in hush money trial ‘very hard’ on wife, Melania Trump
Donald Trump has revealed how the conviction in the hush-money trial has impacted his wife Melania, and offered a surprising take about the potential jail time he faces.
Marriage
Don't miss out on the headlines from Marriage. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Donald Trump says the conviction in his hush money trial has been “very hard” on his wife Melania.
Trump, 77, became the first former US President to be convicted of a crime last Thursday after he was found guilty on all 34 counts of fraud by falsifying business records to cover up payments of $200,000 ($US130,000) to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
It was alleged Trump wanted to buy her silence about an alleged extramarital sexual encounter which was in danger of becoming public knowledge in the run up to the 2016 US Presidential election. Paying to keep stories quiet isn’t illegal but falsifying business records is.
Trump denied a sexual encounter with Ms Daniels took place and denied all the charges.
Melania was not seen in court during the trial — although Mr Trump was supported by his son Eric.
Speaking in an exclusive sit-down interview with Fox & Friends Weekend, he maintained “I did absolutely nothing wrong” despite the unanimous verdict from a 12-person jury after a historic six-week trial.
“I think in many ways it’s tougher on my family than it is on me,” he said, when asked about how his family felt.
Speaking about his wife and former first lady Melania Trump, 54, he said: “She’s fine but I think it’s very hard on her. She’s fine, but she has to read all this crap.”
Trump met Melania in 1998, they got engaged in 2004, married a year later and had their son, Barron Trump, in March 2006.
Ms Daniels alleged the sexual encounter took place in July 2006.
In the interview on Sunday, Trump said Barron, 18, was doing “amazing”.
“He’s tall, good looking, guy’s a very good student and he’s applied to colleges and gets in to everywhere he goes,” Trump said.
“He’s very sought after from the standpoint he’s a very smart guy, a very tall guy, and he’s a great kid. He’s cool, he’s pretty cool.”
In America a convicted felon can run for president. Trump is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, just four days before the Republican National Convention, when the party will officially nominate him for president.
Trump has called the trial “rigged’ and “a scam”, and has announced he will appeal.
He could receive probation or even jail time when he is sentenced on July 11, but experts say the latter is highly unlikely.
Each of the 34 felony charges carries up to a $US5000 ($7500) fine and four-year prison sentence.
As for the prospect of facing house arrest or jail, Trump told Fox & Friends Weekend, he was “OK with it”.
“I’m not sure the public would stand for it,” he added. “I think it would be tough for the public to take. At a certain point, there’s a breaking point.”
US President Joe Biden addressed Trump’s conviction at the beginning of a press conference on Friday (local time), where he was announcing a major new peace proposal for Gaza.
He emphasised the trial was completely handled at the state level with the verdict handed down by a jury.
“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 said.
“Our justice system has endured for nearly 250 years, and it literally is a cornerstone of America. Our justice system should be respected. We should never allow anyone to tear it down. It’s as simple as that.”
He acknowledged Trump’s right to appeal.
Originally published as Donald Trump says conviction in hush money trial ‘very hard’ on wife, Melania Trump
Bride lashed for ‘full coverage’ wedding dress
A former pageant queen and her new husband have lashed out at those who criticised her “full coverage” wedding gown, labelling them “evil”.
‘I was dragged by my hair while pregnant, held at knifepoint’
Mia* has almost lost her life multiple times and been left with life changing injuries at the hands of men who were meant to love her – the fathers of her children. Here she tells her story.