Quick Hit:

Former President Donald Trump, in a historic response following his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records, delivered a speech at Trump Tower, stating, "This is bigger than me." The speech, which touched on various themes from his campaign rallies, included critiques of his general election opponent and the judge presiding over his case.

Key Details:

• Trump's conviction marks an unprecedented event in U.S. history, with a former president being found guilty on multiple counts of falsifying business records.
• The former president used his post-trial speech to critique his general election opponent, President Joe Biden, and Judge Juan M. Merchan, who presided over his case.
• Despite the conviction, Trump maintains a strong base of support, raising $39 million in a 10-hour period following the verdict announcement.

Diving Deeper:

Trump's speech at Trump Tower was a condensed version of his traditional rally speeches, with the former president launching into a critique of President Biden and the judge who presided over his case. He accused Biden and his supporters of failing to secure the U.S.-Mexico border and blamed Judge Merchan for a "nasty gag order" that prevented him from publicly criticizing witnesses and others affiliated with his case.

Trump also deviated from his vow to appeal the verdict, characterizing the trial as a "scam" and repeatedly criticizing Biden for failures on border security. 

Despite the conviction, Trump maintains a strong base of support, raising $39 million in a 10-hour period following the verdict announcement. He thanked the "big crowd of people outside" Trump Tower for their support, stating, "The level of support has been incredible."

Trump ended his speech by stating that the case was "bigger than me," and that it should not be allowed to happen to other presidents in the future. He also took the opportunity to criticize Biden, calling him "the worst president in the history of our country" and a "big danger to our country."