President Joe Biden‘s campaign said “no one is above the law” in a statement just moments following former President Donald Trump was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records.
“Donald Trump has always mistakenly believed he would never face consequences for breaking the law for his own personal gain,” Biden campaign spokesman Michael Tyler said in a statement. “But today’s verdict does not change the fact that the American people face a simple reality.”
Biden is not expected to formally address the verdict with prepared remarks, according to a person with knowledge of his plans.
“We respect the rule of law and have no additional comment,” said Ian Sams, spokesperson for the White House counsel’s office.
The Biden campaign used the historic news to frame the upcoming election as a choice they face this November, contrasting the President’s first term with the chaos of a potential second Trump term.
“There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot box. Convicted felon or not, Trump will be the Republican nominee for president,” Tyler said.
At a rally in Philadelphia on Wednesday, Biden made a brief mention of Trump, saying he is “busy” at the moment and sources have said the campaign is planning a more aggressive approach against Trump now that the verdict is out.
“The threat Trump poses to our democracy has never been greater. He is running an increasingly unhinged campaign of revenge and retribution, pledging to be a dictator ‘on day one’ and calling for our Constitution to be ‘terminated’ so he can regain and keep power,” he said. “A second Trump term means chaos, ripping away Americans’ freedoms and fomenting political violence — and the American people will reject it this November.”
The campaign will continue to hit on key points they feel is important to the American people, including threats to democracy and individual freedoms, Biden’s economic accomplishments and prioritizing the middle class over the wealthy corporations.
