In a scathing op-ed published by the Daily Mail, former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson denounced the recent criminal conviction of former President Donald Trump as a "machine-gun mob-style hit job," asserting that it was a politically motivated effort by liberal elites to undermine Trump's chances in the upcoming presidential election.
Johnson's comments came in response to a Manhattan jury finding Trump guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with hush money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election. The trial, which concluded with a historic conviction, marked the first time a former U.S. president has been convicted of felony crimes.
“I wanted to testify. The theory is, you never testify.”
Defendants testify all the time, it’s a choice
As for Boris Johnson calling a finding of guilt by 12 jurors (Trump selected) a “hit job”
I wish I had the power to bring Johnson before 12 jurors
pic.twitter.com/am9YjUtfFC— nazir afzal (@nazirafzal) May 31, 2024
Trump, maintaining his innocence, took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to express gratitude towards Johnson, highlighting quotes from the former prime minister's article.
Johnson argued that the American public perceives the charges as an attempt by liberal elites to derail Trump's campaign, only boosting his popularity among voters. He emphasized that this legal action would likely make Trump's victory in the 2024 election more probable, not less.
England stands with President Trump!
Boris Johnson wrote a lengthy article claiming Donald Trump's chances of victory in the US presidential race are 'more likely' and described the historic case as 'a load of stunted up old nonsense'The former Prime Minister wrote a lengthy… pic.twitter.com/GmSmXaZjyh
— josette caruso (@josettecaruso) June 4, 2024
While Johnson's remarks received significant attention, other British politicians have remained cautious in their responses. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak avoided direct commentary on the conviction, citing a need to respect the U.S. judicial process and focusing instead on domestic issues. Similarly, Labour Leader Keir Starmer acknowledged the unprecedented nature of the situation but reaffirmed his commitment to working with whoever wins the U.S. presidency.
The close relationship between Trump and Johnson, both known for their populist approaches and controversial tenures, adds another layer of complexity to this transatlantic political drama. Johnson, who was ousted from office in 2022 following a series of scandals, has continued to support Trump, seeing parallels in their political battles against establishment forces.
This development has sparked debates on both sides of the Atlantic about the implications of judicial actions against political figures and the potential repercussions for democratic processes.
Johnson's assertion that the legal challenges faced by Trump are politically motivated echoes sentiments often expressed by Trump's supporters, further polarizing an already deeply divided electorate.
