President Joe Biden called former President Donald Trump a “convicted felon” who “snapped” during a campaign event on Monday after the 2020 election.
“For the first time in American history, a former president, a convicted felon, is now seeking the office of president,” Biden told the crowd at the fundraising event in Greenwich, Connecticut. “But as disturbing as that is, what is more damaging is Donald Trump’s all-out assault on the American justice system.”
Trump was found guilty of 34 charges of falsifying company records in his hush money trial in New York. Biden addressed Trump’s conviction on Friday and lashed out at the attacks Trump and his allies have lobbied on the justice system.
“It’s reckless, it’s dangerous, it’s irresponsible for someone to say this is rigged just because they don’t like the verdict,” Biden told reporters at the White House last week.
Biden made similar comments on Monday, saying: “It’s reckless and dangerous for anyone to say this is rigged just because they don’t like the outcome.”
“Something really snapped in this man” after the 2020 election, Biden said. “It literally drives him crazy.”
Biden also called Trump “unhinged.”
NBC News first reported last week that Biden’s campaign had been exploring ways to take a more aggressive stance on his legal issues in the run-up to Trump’s conviction. Those discussions included the possibility of calling Trump a “convicted felon,” NBC News reported.
Throughout the trial, the Biden campaign had been careful to comment directly on the proceedings, carefully maneuvering to avoid playing into Trump campaign criticism that the case amounted to election interference by the Biden administration.
Trump has consistently spoken out against the verdict and the legal process since he was convicted in a Manhattan courtroom. Speaking to reporters outside Trump Tower on Friday, he called the trial a “scam” and claimed it was “all done by Biden and his people.” This is being done by Washington.”
As NBC News reported in January, Trump’s attacks on the justice system have increased as he approaches key dates in his criminal and civil cases.
He delivered the verdict again on Sunday in a wide-ranging interview with Fox News, saying there could be a “breaking point” for the public if he is sentenced to prison or house arrest in the case.
Trump still faces criminal charges in three other cases: the Georgia election interference case, the Florida documents case and the federal election interference case. He is also appealing the results of his civil trials.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
