Trump campaign says he believes ‘anyone convicted of a crime’ should be jailed

From Donald Trump’s perspective, his upcoming conviction in the New York hush money case should also include a prison sentence.

A spokesman for his 2024 campaign this week commented on reports that a Trump pardon recipient has been convicted of a domestic violence charge, saying, “President Trump believes that anyone convicted of a crime should spend time behind bars.”

The statement from Trump’s national spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, to The New York Times was in response to the new sentencing of Jaime A. Davidson, whose sentence Trump commuted in 2021.

Trump was convicted by a Manhattan jury in May of 34 felonies, including falsifying corporate records. He is expected to be sentenced on September 18.

Leavitt and another campaign spokesman did not respond to requests for comment on Trump’s position on prison sentences for convicts in relation to his own conviction on Wednesday.

Trump has long tried to portray his conviction in New York and other ongoing trials as a witch hunt.

On Tuesday, a federal judge denied Trump’s request to transfer the New York hush money case to federal court.

Trump’s legal team is also asking the judge presiding over the case, Juan Merchan, to delay sentencing until after the Nov. 5 presidential election. Merchan is expected to rule in the case on Sept. 16, two days before the sentencing hearing.

Trump has been indicted in other cases — two involving election interference and one involving classified documents. He has pleaded not guilty in both cases.