Donald Trump has reacted to Jussie Smollett‘s conviction for lying to police about a hate crime he claimed was perpetrated by MAGA supporters, calling it a ‘hate crime in reverse.’
‘This is really a hate crime. Sort of a hate crime in reverse. And he’s not going to get away with it,’ Trump told Fox News host Laura Ingraham in a phone interview on Friday night.
‘If he were a Republican, if he were on the other side, he’d be in jail for 25 years for hate crimes for what he did and for what he said,’ he added.
Smollett, 39, was convicted Thursday of five counts of disorderly conduct for lying to Chicago police about being the victim of a racist, anti-gay attack he said was perpetrated by Trump supporters who screamed ‘this is MAGA country’.
He maintains his innocence, and his attorney has said he will appeal the verdict.
Trump on Friday called Smollett a ‘con man’ whose hoax was an attempt to garner publicity and get contract on the television show Empire renewed on favorable terms.
Donald Trump has reacted to Jussie Smollett’s conviction for lying to police about a hate crime he claimed was perpetrated by MAGA supporters, calling it a ‘hate crime in reverse’
Actor Jussie Smollett was found guilty of orchestrating and reporting a false hate crime on himself, after lying to police when he reported that two masked men physically attacked him
Nigerian brothers Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo arrive at the courthouse during trial
‘He was the con man, and he wanted to try and get sympathy so he could have his contract renewed for his ridiculous television series. So that didn’t work out too well,’ said Trump.
‘And then, on top of it, he got caught. And you know it’s interesting. He wouldn’t have been caught except that he pressed it all the way. He pressed it too far.’
‘He wanted apologies and everything else,’ said Trump. ‘And then the police came, and they did an amazing job. And they caught him cold, and he deserves it.
Earlier Friday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki brought up Trump when asked whether President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris regretted rushing to judgement in their passionate support of convicted liar Jussie Smollett.
Both Harris and Biden tweeted enthusiastic support for Smollett in January 2019 when he claimed he’d been the victim of a hate crime.
They were then silent when Smollett was arrested, and have said nothing about his trial.
Psaki was asked during the White House briefing on Friday, in light of Smollett’s Thursday conviction: ‘Since the guilty verdict, are there any lessons learned here on rushing to judgement when a crime is alleged?’
She replied: ‘There are lessons learned perhaps for everybody who commented at the time, including former President Trump.’
Psaki then looked down at her notes to read aloud Trump’s quote, when he said: ‘I can tell you that it’s horrible, it doesn’t get worse’.
She then went on: ‘We respect the jury’s decision. Lying to the police, particularly about something as painful as hate crimes is shameful.
‘Instances of that need to be investigated fully and those found guilty need to be punished. False accusations divert valuable police resources, important investigations that make it harder for real victims to come forward and be believed.
‘You know, look back at the time. It’s also true and important to note that accusations of hate crimes should be taken seriously and they need to be fully investigated, but that’s where everybody was looking at it at the time.’
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki quotes Trump when he called the Jussie Smollett hoax attack ‘horrible’ when asked if Biden and Kamala ‘rushed to judgement’ with their passionate tweets
Referring to Jussie Smollet, President Joe Biden tweeted shortly after the incident in 2019: What happened today to @Jussie Smollet must never be tolerated in this country. We must stand up and demand that we no longer give this hate safe harbor; that homophobia and racism have no place on our streets or in our hearts. We are with you, Jessie.’
The Democratic Candidate had previously written: ‘Jussie Smollett is one of the kindest, most gently human beings I know. I’m praying for his quick recovery. This was an attempted modern day lynching. No one should have to fear for their life because of their sexuality or color of their skin. We must confront this hate’
‘But certainly, knowing what we know now it’s important to also note the danger of lying to police and lying about hate crimes and the fact that it diverts important resources.’
Biden tweeted on January 2019: ‘What happened today to Jussie Smollett must never be tolerated in this country.
‘We must stand up and demand that we no longer give this hate safe harbor; that homophobia and racism have no place on our streets or in our hearts. We are with you, Jussie.’
Harris tweeted: ‘@jussiesmollett is one of the kindest, most gentle human beings I know. I’m praying for his quick recovery. This was an attempted modern day lynching. No one should have to fear for their life because of their sexuality or color of their skin. We must confront this hate.’
Their now-embarrassing tweets still sit on their accounts, and attracted a host of mocking comments on Thursday in the wake of Smollett’s guilty verdict.
Trump, when first asked about Smollett, said it was a ‘horrible’ attack and he said: ‘It doesn’t get worse.’
Trump tweeted after police revealed details of Smollett’s plot and spoke to reporters about his arrest, demanding an apology from the actor
Smollett is shown leaving court yesterday after being found guilty. He has said nothing but his lawyer says he plans to appeal
Donald Trump Jr also got in on the act, sharing a collage of pro-Jussie tweets sent by top liberals, including the Biden and Harris missives.
He captioned his post: ‘#JusticeForJussie we got him guys we got the guy that did this heinous act. #juicy’
Over on Twitter, Don Jr replied to another old tweet from civil rights campaigner the Reverend Al Sharpton saying ‘the guilty must face the maximum.’
The former president’s son added: ‘I’m with you Al, I think all of America is with you on this one. The guilty must face the maximum.’
Smollett could face 20 years in jail. While he’s widely expected to get a custodial sentence, his
Trump Jr later added his own thoughts to the matter, tweeting: ‘I’m just happy to live in a country where people will go to jail for attacking a gay black man… There’s absolutely no place for that s**t in America, or anywhere else, and I am happy the perpetrator was brought to justice.’
Silence: Others who rushed to defend Smollett and support him have now stayed silent in light of his guilty verdict
Other liberal stars whose pro-Jussie tweets have now aged very poorly include Democratic representatives and Squad members Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as well as Rashida Tlaib.
AOC tweeted: ‘There is no such thing as ‘racially charged.’ This attack was not ‘possibly’ homophobic. It was a racist and homophobic attack.
‘If you don’t like what is happening to our country, then work to change it. It is no one’s job to water down or sugar-coat the rise of hate crimes.’
And Tlaib said: ‘When one of the most famous black and gay men in America is not safe, the message is clearer than it has ever been.’ The dangerous lies spewing from the right wing is killing & hurting our people. Thinking of you @jussiesmollett, and my LGBTQ neighbors.’
Donald Trump Jr’s reaction to the guilty verdict on Friday
Other top Democrats who railed against the now debunked beating include House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.
Pelosi soapboxed: ‘The racist, homophobic attack on @JussieSmollett is an affront to our humanity. No one should be attacked for who they are or whom they love.
‘I pray that Jussie has a speedy recovery & that justice is served. May we all commit to ending this hate once & for all.’
And Bernie railed: ‘The racist and homophobic attack on Jussie Smollett is a horrific instance of the surging hostility toward minorities around the country. We must come together to eradicate all forms of bigotry and violence.’
Smollett, 39, told Chicago police he had been accosted on a darkened street by two masked strangers. According to his account of the attack, the assailants threw a noose around his neck and poured chemicals on him while yelling racist and homophobic slurs and expressing support for then-President Donald Trump.
A host of other political bigwigs and A-list stars’ messages backing Jussie have come back under the spotlight after his conviction for lying.
Sen. Cory Booker, rushing to his defense, echoed Harris’ claims that the attack was equivalent to a lynching and cited it as reason for Congress to pass an anti-lynching bill.
‘The vicious attack on actor Jussie Smollett was an attempted modern-day lynching. I’m glad he’s safe,’ Booker tweeted in January 2019. ‘To those in Congress who don’t feel the urgency to pass our Anti-Lynching bill designating lynching as a federal hate crime– I urge you to pay attention.’