Donald Trump expressed his thanks to Boris Johnson on social media last night after he wrote an article supporting the convicted former president.
The former prime minister backed Trump in his latest column for the Daily Mail, claiming he was the victim of a “machine-gun mob-style hit job”.
The presumptive Republican candidate was found guilty last Thursday on all 34 counts in his New York hush money trial, where he was accused of falsifying business records to silence adult film star Stormy Daniels, who claimed they had sex.
That means, less than six months before he is expected to go up against incumbent Joe Biden, Trump became the first US president to ever be convicted.
Late on Sunday night, Trump posted on his platform Truth Social: “Thank you to Boris Johnson!”
He shared three lengthy quotes from the former prime minister’s article, which is behind a paywall.
The first read: “This was a machine-gun mob-style hit job on Trump. It was nakedly political – and will make his victory more likely, not less.”
The second quote saw Johnson calling the trial “nakedly political” and “completely artificial”, while claiming Trump was tripped up by the Democrats over a “technicality”.
He also alleged: “Except that everyone with any common sense can see what I consider their real motives, how they were combing the rule book for stuff to use against Trump.”
In a separate quote the ex-president shared, Johnson claimed most US voters will see “the liberal elites” were just “appalled at Trump’s continuing popularity”.
After thanking Johnson, Trump was clearly feeling nostalgic as he attached a photo of the two politicians sitting together.
The two men were on very good terms when they were both in office on opposite sides of the pond and the ex-president once referred to Johnson as “Britain Trump”.
Johnson’s article makes him the most high-profile British politician to publicly back Trump to date.
In contrast, the current PM Rishi Sunak and the leader of the opposition Keir Starmer have been much less outspoken in their responses.
Sunak initially refused to comment, but later said: “What I would say is the US has always been a key partner and ally of the United Kingdom.
“I’ve always had a good relationship with my opposite number, any British prime minister should prioritise that. Of course I respect the justice system of the United States.”
Starmer, former director of public prosecutions, said he respects the legal system of the US, while adding: “We will work with whoever is elected president … but it is an unprecedented situation, there is no doubt about that.”
Trump plans on appealing the conviction.