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Donald Trump has said he will appeal against his criminal conviction for falsifying business records – insisting he paid a “legal expense” and there was “nothing illegal”.

In a disjointed 40-minute news conference at Trump Tower in New York, Trump started by saying “if they can do this to me, they can do this to anyone” – before going on to criticise his trial and the “highly conflicted judge” who presided over it.

He later attacked Joe Biden, calling him “the dumbest president we’ve ever had”, labelled the gag order imposed during the hush money trial “nasty”, and tested its limits by taking aim at his former lawyer Michael Cohen.

“This [trial] is all done by Biden and his people,” Trump claimed – saying President Joe Biden’s administration worked “in conjunction with” the Department of Justice on his prosecution.

Trump also repeated his allegation that the trial was “rigged” and criticised a decision to refuse his defence’s request for a venue change. “Witnesses on our side were literally crucified,” he continued.

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Former President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a news conference at Trump Tower, Friday, May 31, 2024, in New York. Pic: AP Photo
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Trump was met with cheers from supporters assembled inside the building. Pic: AP

Former President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at Trump Tower, Friday, May 31, 2024, in New York. Pic: AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson
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Trump delivered his speech in the brass and rose marble lobby of Trump Tower. Pic: AP

The former president said “we are going to fight”, adding: “We’re going to be appealing this on many different things.”

His son Eric Trump and daughter-in-law Lara Trump were present for the speech but his wife Melania – who has been publicly silent since the verdicts – was not seen.

Eric Trump and Lara Trump watch as former President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at Trump Tower, Friday, May 31, 2024, in New York. Pic: AP
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Eric and Lara Trump were present – but Melania was not spotted at the event. Pic: AP

On Thursday, a unanimous jury in New York found Trump guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records to commit election fraud.

The former president covered up a $130,000 (£102,000) payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels as part of a “hush money” scheme to bury stories he thought might hurt his presidential campaign in 2016.

At Trump Tower today, the former president insisted the payment to his former lawyer and fixer Mr Cohen was simply a “legal expense” and “standard stuff” – “there was nothing illegal”, Trump added.

A gag order prevents Trump from publicly criticising witnesses from the hush money trial, including Cohen.

While the former president didn’t name his former lawyer, he labelled him a “sleazebag”, adding: “Everybody knows that.”

He said prosecutors just wanted to find out whether he was “a bad boy here, bad boy there” and said “salacious details” of his alleged encounter with Ms Daniels in a hotel room had “nothing to do with the case”.

In the rambling speech, he also said of his opponents: “These are bad people, these are sick people. They want to stop you from having cars.”

Read more on the Trump trial:
Seven things that nailed him – including secret recording
Cohen says former president had total disregard for jury
Voters in Nevada say Stormy Daniels ‘spanked’ Trump

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference at Trump Tower in New York City, U.S., May 31, 2024. Pic: Reuters
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Pic: Reuters

‘I wanted to testify’

Trump claimed he wanted to take the stand during the trial but said he ultimately decided against it as he feared being prosecuted for perjury if he made a verbal misstep.

“I would have liked to have testified,” he said. “But you would have said something out of whack like, ‘It was a beautiful sunny day, and it was actually raining out.'”

Outside on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, supporters gathered and flew a giant red “Trump or death” flag outside a high-end boutique.

A small group of protesters held signs saying “justice matters” and “guilty”.

Ahead of the 11 am post hush money trial guilty verdict press conference today, Trump supporters and others gather outside of Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue. Pic: AP
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Trump supporters gathered opposite Trump Tower ahead of the news conference. Pic: AP

Biden responds to Trump’s conviction

Speaking at the White House two hours after Trump’s news conference, President Biden said it was “reckless, dangerous and irresponsible for anyone to say [the trial] is rigged just because they don’t like the verdict.”

“The American principle that no one is above the law is reaffirmed,” he said. “Donald Trump was given every opportunity to defend himself. Now he will be given the opportunity to appeal the decision.

“That’s how the American justice system works. We should respect it and never let anyone tear it down. We’re America. That’s who we are and that’s who we’ll always be.”

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the verdict in former President Donald Trump's hush money trial and on the Middle East, from the State Dining Room of the White House, Friday, May 31, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
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Joe Biden speaking at the White House. Pic: AP

What’s next for Trump?

The conviction does not stop Trump from running for president again.

In his speech, Trump claimed the case has bolstered his campaign fundraising with $39m coming in from “small money donors” in the 10 hours after his conviction.

The Trump campaign has slightly different figures and claimed $34.8m (£27.3m) has been raised to support the Republican’s presidential bid since the verdict.

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They also say an influx of supporters crashed their fundraising platform.

Trump is due to be sentenced on 11 July – just a few days before the Republican Party is expected to confirm him as its nominee for the presidential election against Democrat President Biden in November.

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Donald Trump plans to hit Canada with new tariff – while warning of blanket hike for other countries

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Donald Trump plans to hit Canada with new tariff - while warning of blanket hike for other countries

Donald Trump has said he plans to hit Canada with a 35% tariff on imported goods, as he warned of a blanket 15 or 20% hike for most other countries.

In a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, the US president wrote: “I must mention that the flow of Fentanyl is hardly the only challenge we have with Canada, which has many Tariff, and Non-Tariff, Policies and Trade Barriers.”

Mr Trump’s tariffs were allegedly an effort to get Canada to crack down on fentanyl smuggling, and the US president has expressed frustration with Canada’s trade deficit with the US.

In a statement Mr Carney said: “Throughout the current trade negotiations with the United States, the Canadian government has steadfastly defended our workers and businesses. We will continue to do so as we work towards the revised deadline of August 1.”

He added: “Canada has made vital progress to stop the scourge of fentanyl in North America. We are committed to continuing to work with the United States to save lives and protect communities in both our countries.”

Mr Trump has sent a series of tariff letters to 23 countries so far, including one putting a 50% tariff on Brazil in part for the ongoing trial of its former president Jair Bolsonaro for trying to stay in office after he lost the election in 2022.

Mr Trump was similarly indicted for his efforts to overturn his election loss in 2020.

The higher rates would go into effect on 1 August.

Shortly after Mr Trump unveiled his “Liberation Day” tariffs on 2 April, there was a huge sell-off on the financial markets. The US president later announced a 90-day negotiating period, during which a 10% baseline tariff would be charged on most imported goods.

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But in an interview with Sky News’s partner network NBC News, Mr Trump said he plans to impose higher blanket tariffs on most US trade partners.

“We’re just going to say all of the remaining countries are going to pay, whether it’s 20% or 15%. We’ll work that out now,” he said.

He added: “I think the tariffs have been very well-received. The stock market hit a new high today.”

The US and UK signed a trade deal in June, with the US president calling it “a fair deal for both” and saying it will “produce a lot of jobs, a lot of income”.

Sir Keir Starmer said the document “implements” the deal to cut tariffs on cars and aerospace, adding: “So this is a very good day for both of our countries – a real sign of strength.”

Read more:
Trump fires tariff threats at more nations as EU ‘ready’
Palestinian activist detained by ICE suing Trump administration

The US president also teased a “major statement” he will make on Russia over its war with Ukraine.

“I’m disappointed in Russia, but we’ll see what happens over the next couple of weeks,” he said.

“I think I’ll have a major statement to make on Russia on Monday.”

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It comes as Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said a new round of talks between Moscow and Washington on bilateral problems could take place before the end of the summer.

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Palestinian activist detained by ICE suing Trump administration for $20m

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Palestinian activist detained by ICE suing Trump administration for m

A Palestinian activist who was detained for over three months in a US immigration jail after protesting against Israel is suing Donald Trump’s administration for $20m (£15m) in damages.

Lawyers for Mahmoud Khalil have filed a claim against the administration alleging he was falsely imprisoned, maliciously prosecuted and smeared as an antisemite as the government sought to deport him over his role in campus protests.

The 30-year-old graduate student at Columbia University told Sky News’s lead world presenter Yalda Hakim being detained by ICE agents in March “felt like kidnapping”.

He described “plain-clothed agents and unmarked cars” taking him “from one place to another, expecting you just to follow orders and shackled all the time”, which he said was “really scary”.

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Mahmoud Khalil reunites with family after release

Mr Khalil said he was not presented with an arrest warrant and wasn’t told where he was being taken.

He said the detention centre he was taken to was “as far from humane as it could be” and “a place where you have no rights whatsoever”.

“You share a dorm with over 70 men with no privacy, with lights on all the time, with really terrible food. You’re basically being dehumanised at every opportunity. It’s a black hole,” he added.

Mr Khalil said he would also accept an official apology from the Trump administration.

The Trump administration celebrated Mr Khalil’s arrest, promising to deport him and others whose protests against Israel it declared were “pro-terrorist, antisemitic, anti-American activity”.

Mr Khalil said after around 36 hours in captivity he was allowed to speak to his wife, who was pregnant at the time.

“These were very scary hours, I did not know what was happening on the outside. I did not know that my wife was safe,” he said.

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‘Absolutely absurd allegations’

Mr Khalil said administration officials had made “absolutely absurd allegations” by saying he as involved in antisemitic activities and supporting Hamas.

“They are weaponising antisemitism, weaponising anti-terrorism in order to stifle speech,” he said. “What I was engaged in is simply opposing a genocide, opposing war crimes, opposing Columbia University’s complicity in the war on Gaza.”

A State Department spokesperson said its actions toward Mr Khalil were fully supported by the law.

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Asked about missing the birth of his son while he was in prison, Mr Khalil said: “I don’t think there’s any word that can describe the agony and the sadness that I went through, to be deprived from such a divine moment, from a moment that my wife and I had always dreamed about.”

Meanwhile, the deportation case against Mr Khalil is continuing to wind its way through the immigration court system.

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Donald Trump praises Liberian president’s English – the country’s official language

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Donald Trump praises Liberian president's English - the country's official language

Donald Trump has praised the Liberian president’s command of English – the West African country’s official language.

The US president reacted with visible surprise to Joseph Boakai’s English-speaking skills during a White House meeting with leaders from the region on Wednesday.

After the Liberian president finished his brief remarks, Mr Trump told him he speaks “such good English” and asked: “Where did you learn to speak so beautifully?”

Mr Trump seemed surprised when Mr Boakai laughed and responded he learned in Liberia.

The US president said: “It’s beautiful English.

“I have people at this table who can’t speak nearly as well.”

Mr Boakai did not tell Mr Trump that English is the official language of Liberia.

The country was founded in 1822 with the aim of relocating freed African slaves and freeborn black citizens from the US.

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Mr Trump promised the leaders of Liberia, Senegal, Gabon, Mauritania and Guinea-Bissau a pivot from aid to trade at the surprise meeting.

He described the countries as “all very vibrant places with very valuable land, great minerals, and great oil deposits, and wonderful people”.

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Later asked by a reporter if he’ll visit the continent, Mr Trump said, “At some point, I would like to go to Africa.”

But he added that he’d “have to see what the schedule looks like”.

Trump’s predecessor, President Joe Biden, promised to go to Africa in 2023, but only fulfilled the commitment by visiting Angola in December 2024, just weeks before he left office.

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