Trump supporters turn US flag upside down after conviction, Biden says ‘reckless’

Shortly after Donald Trump was convicted on all 34 counts of criminal charges in the hush money case on Friday, social media were flooded with his supporters posting inverted US flags as a mark of protest.

Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene and country music singer Jason Aldean were among the prominent Americans to display the upside down flag.

Trump, who became the first former US President to be convicted of a crime, alleged the trial was “rigged” and driven by politics. Meanwhile, Democrat and US President Joe Biden attacked Trump and other Republicans, saying it was “reckless, dangerous and irresponsible” for anyone to say it was rigged just because “they don’t like the verdict”.

Donald Trump, 77, will face sentencing on July 11, days before the start of the Republican National Convention on July 15, wherein he is expected to be formally nominated for president. He has denied any wrongdoing in the hush money case and is expected to appeal the verdict.

Here are the top five developments in Donald Trump’s hush money case conviction:
Joe Biden struck out hard at Trump and his supporters for their criticism of the verdict. In his remarks at the White House, he said, “Donald Trump was given every opportunity to defend himself.”

The US President further said the case against Trump in New York was brought by the state, that it wasn’t a federal case, and the verdict was delivered by “a jury of 12 citizens, 12 Americans, 12 people like you”.

Trump came down heavily on the US justice system after his historic conviction as he spoke from his namesake tower in Manhattan in front of dozens of reporters and cameras. Casting himself as a martyr in his unscripted 33-minute speech, he said, “If they can do this to me, they can do this to anyone.”

“I’m willing to do whatever I have to do to save our country and save our Constitution. I don’t mind,” Trump added.