Trump’s Former GOP Presidential Primary Opponents React To His Guilty Verdict

Many of former President Donald Trump’s former Republican presidential primary opponents have reacted to the guilty verdict handed to him in his hush money trial from Manhattan on Thursday. With different words and approaches, most of them condemned the guilty verdict, with some criticizing Democrats for the charges against the Republican presidential candidate.

Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), who has been very supportive of Trump since he quit his presidential bid, made a video calling the ruling “hoax,” a “sham” and evidence of an “obsolete injustice justice system.”

“DA Bragg and the judge should be ashamed of themselves. This isn’t just ridiculous, this actually erodes the confidence that Americans have in the justice system. Unbelievable,” Scott said in the video shared to X, adding, “But good news is coming. DA Bragg, hear me clearly. You cannot silence the American people. You cannot stop us from voting for change. Joe Biden’s injustice, Joe Biden’s two-tier injustice system, weaponizing the justice system of the United States of America against a political opponent, un-American. Joe Biden, you’re fired. We the people stand with Donald Trump.”

Speaking to Fox News, former Vice President Mike Pence said that the verdict was a “disservice to the nation.”

“No one is above the law, but our courts must not become a tool to be used against political opponents. To millions of Americans, this was nothing more than a political prosecution driven by a Manhattan DA who ran for office on a pledge to indict the former president and this conviction undermines confidence in our system of justice,” he stated.

Pence also warned that the conviction sends “a terrible message to the wider world about the American justice system” and divides America “at a time when the American people are struggling under the failed policies of the Biden administration at home and abroad.”

“Having been convicted in a court of law, the former president has every right to appeal this conviction and I trust it will be overturned on appeal in a manner that will restore public confidence in our system of justice and equal treatment under the law,” Pence concluded.

For Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the ruling “represents the culmination of a legal process that has been bent to the political will of the actors involved: a leftist prosecutor, a partisan judge and a jury reflective of one of the most liberal enclaves in America — all in an effort to ‘get’ Donald Trump.”

“That this case — involving alleged misdemeanor business records violations from nearly a decade ago — was even brought is a testament to the political debasement of the justice system in places like New York City. This is especially true considering this same district attorney routinely excuses criminal conduct in a way that has endangered law-abiding citizens in his jurisdiction,” DeSantis added in a jab at Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who brought up the case against Trump.

Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy also took a hit at Bragg in a tweet on X, pointing out that he is “a politician who promised to nail Trump.”

Ramaswamy also poked holes at other details of the trial, writing, “The judge’s daughter is a Democrat operative who literally *raised $$ from the trial* while her father presided over it. The jury instructions said they didn’t have to agree on the crime to convict. This will backfire.”

The prosecutor is a politician who promised to nail Trump.

The judge’s daughter is a Democrat operative who literally *raised $$ from the trial* while her father presided over it.

The jury instructions said they didn’t have to agree on the crime to convict.

This will backfire.

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) May 30, 2024

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum noted that the conviction is “a travesty of justice,” pointing out how people close to the case were President Joe Biden’s supporters, an issue that has been a major concern given that Trump is the major threat to Biden getting reelected in the upcoming presidential election.

“The judge was a Biden donor. The prosecutors were Biden supporters. This Lawfare should scare every American. The American people will have their say in November,” Burgum wrote.

Conservative commentator and talk show host Larry Elder said that “a monster has been unleashed” with the verdict, as he warned that it might eventually backfire on Democrat politicians.

“If Democrats don’t think Republican AGs and DAs can’t unleash lawfare on Democrat politicians, think again!!!” he wrote.

The verdict is an outrage. A monster has been unleashed. And if Democrats don’t think Republican AGs and DAs can’t unleash law fare on Democrat politicians, think again!!!

Trump Criminal Trial: Even Trump-Hating Analysts Scratch Their Headshttps://t.co/LBu6NZbWu3

— Larry Elder (@larryelder) May 30, 2024

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is yet to say anything about the verdict, just like former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and Texas Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX).

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson reacted publicly to the verdict not long after it was issued, but in a different approach from what the other former political rivals of Trump did. Rather than condemn the ruling, Hutchinson called for it to be respected.

“It is not easy to see a former President and the presumptive GOP nominee convicted of felony crimes; but the jury verdict should be respected. An appeal is in order but let’s not diminish the significance of this verdict,” he wrote in a tweet to X.

It is not easy to see a former President and the presumptive GOP nominee convicted of felony crimes; but the jury verdict should be respected. An appeal is in order but let’s not diminish the significance of this verdict.

— Gov. Asa Hutchinson (@AsaHutchinson) May 30, 2024