Trump rails at 'fascist' US in unhinged press conference

Former president lays into his trial judge as well as Joe Biden

- ANDREW FEINBERG ALEX WOODWARD

Donald Trump gave an unhinged speech at Trump Tower the morning after he became the first criminally convicted US president, railing against the "fascist state" and attacking his enemies, including the judge who oversaw his hush-money trial and the witnesses who testified against him.

Speaking to an audience of reporters and supporters in the lobby of his eponymous Fifth Avenue skyscraper in New York City – the building where he formed the conspiracy that figured prominently in the evidence against him – Trump falsely claimed that the US president, Joe Biden, could put an end to the case that was brought against him by New York County district attorney Alvin Bragg in a Manhattan court.

“We have a president and a group of fascists that don’t want to do anything about it. Because they could, right now, today – he could stop it – but he’s not,” said Trump.

He also hit out at the judge who oversaw his trial and who will sentence him for his crimes on 11 July, New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, calling him the “devil” and labelling him “highly conflicted” because the judge’s daughter works in Democratic politics. He falsely claimed that Mr Biden – not the judge – was responsible for the gag order against him.

“I’m the leading person for president and I’m under a gag order, by a man that can’t put two sentences together, given by a court, and they are in total conjunction with the White House and the DOJ [Department of Justice], just so you understand. This is all done by Biden and his people,” he said.

Trump continued attacking Mr Biden as “dumb” and “dishonest”, while accusing him – without evidence – of being a “Manchurian candidate”, and repeating multiple lies about the president’s family. “We’re living in a fascist state,” said Trump.

enemies, including the judge who oversaw his hush-money trial and the witnesses who testified against him.