Trump gave his first speech since pleading not guilty to four criminal counts related to the Justice Department’s investigation of the January 6 attack.
Former President Donald Trump used his first speech since facing criminal charges in a Washington, D.C., courtroom to blast the „rabid“ prosecutors who he claims are pressing „fake charges“ to upset his 2024 presidential bid.
The former president addressed a group of GOP supporters at the Alabama Republican Party’s annual summer dinner on Friday, just one day after he pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from the Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation into the January 6, 2021, siege on the U.S. Capitol.
The latest indictment, which alleges that Trump attempted to remain in office after losing the 2020 election to President Joe Biden, is the third set of criminal charges handed to the former president this year. Trump also pleaded not guilty in federal Florida court to allegations that he mishandled classified documents after leaving the White House, and claims that the business fraud charges handed to him by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office are nothing but a scam.
Much of his speech in Montgomery, Alabama, on Friday echoed the same defiance and anger Trump has shown at past events and rallies, starting his time at the podium with a promise to „expel the criminals and thugs from the halls of power in Washington, D.C.“
„From the beginning of our movement, it’s really been a true force in American politics that’s here to stand up … to the corrupt political establish that hasn’t happened,“ the former president said. „That’s why we have such difficulty because they just can’t stand us.“
The former president didn’t hesitate to bash Special Counsel Jack Smith throughout his speech Friday, despite being cautioned during Thursday’s arraignment to not „threaten“ or „retaliate against“ anyone with information connected to his case.
