Foreign officials largely restrained following Trump verdict, some say: ‘Keep fighting’

World leaders have largely remained quiet following former President Donald Trump’s conviction on 34 criminal charges in New York City this week, but those who have spoken out have expressed shock at the verdict and support for Trump.

“I’ve known President [Donald Trump] to be a man of honor,” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a close ally to Trump during his administration, wrote in a post on X. 

“As President, he always put America first, he commanded respect around the world and used this respect to build peace,” Orban wrote. “Let the people make their verdict this November! Keep on fighting, Mr. President!”

A New York City jury spent two days deliberating over the verdict of the six-week trial, declaring a verdict at the 11th hour before returning home for the day and deciding to convict Trump on all 34 charges of falsifying business records in the first degree. Trump pleaded not guilty and maintains his innocence.

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Trump is the first former president convicted of a crime, with his sentencing due to occur on July 11, though many expect him to appeal. 

Some world leaders have urged him to do just that and keep fighting for the presidency, including several long-time allies and some other voices who made unfavorable comparisons between the U.S. and troubled governments with a history of using the legal system for political recourse. 

“Solidarity and full support for [Donald Trump], victim of judicial harassment and a process of political nature,” Matteo Salvini, Vice President of the Council of Ministers of Italy, wrote on X. 

“In Italy, we are sadly familiar with the weaponization of the justice system by the left, given that for years attempts have been made to eliminate political opponents through legal means,” Salvini wrote. “I hope Trump wins; it would be a guarantee of greater balance and hope for world peace.”

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In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has so far remained quiet on the topic, but his rivals have voiced conflicting perspectives on the subject: Long-time Trump ally and Honorary President of the Reform UK Party Nigel Farage expressed disgust at the verdict, while opposition Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer said he would “respect” the court’s decisions.’

“This verdict is a disgrace. Trump will now win big,” Farage wrote on X immediately following the verdict, but on Friday he appeared on GB News to add, “Of course I’m going to stand up and defend Donald Trump. The world will be a much safer place with him in the White House.”

Starmer noted that the verdict is just the first step in a long process that is still occurring, warning, “First and foremost, we respect the court’s decision in relation to the decision in the Trump case. There’s sentencing still to go and possible appeal, but we respect the court process.”

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“…We have a special relationship with the U.S. that transcends whoever the president is, but it is an unprecedented situation, no doubt about that,” he acknowledged, according to Reuters. 

Russian government spokesperson Dmitry Peskov quipped, “If we speak about Trump, the fact that there is simply the elimination, in effect, of political rivals by all possible means, legal and illegal, is obvious.” 

A few more restrained comments from officials in Japan and Britain offered an even-handed response, ultimately arguing for the process to play out before anyone makes any comments, partially over fear of the appearance of interfering in a foreign election. 

“We would like to refrain from commenting on matters relating to judicial procedures in other countries,” Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yorhimasa Hayashi told reporters. 

“The Japanese government is not in a position to make comments with presumption about the impact on the (U.S.) presidential election,” Hayashi said. “In any event, we are closely monitoring related developments and will continue to gather information.”

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Mel Stride, Britain’s Work and Pensions Secretary, told Sky News that “there is a long-held convention that we don’t interfere in elections overseas, so I really can’t comment on that particular question, in the same way we wouldn’t expect American politicians to start throwing comments in about our general election.”

“They are clearly dramatic, very dramatic turn of events, and let’s wait to see what happens, but ultimately the choice will be for the American people … in November.”

Reuters contributed to this report.