Trump Warns that His Incarceration Could Spark National Unrest, Labels it a Potential ‘Breaking Point’ for Americans

After his landmark conviction by a New York jury last week, Donald Trump stated that he would be open to either home confinement or jail time, acknowledging the potential difficulty for the public to accept such an outcome.

In an interview with Fox News aired on Sunday, the Republican presidential candidate expressed skepticism about the public’s tolerance, saying, “I’m not sure the public would stand for it… You know, at a certain point, there’s a breaking point.”

Trump refrained from elaborating on potential consequences if this ‘breaking point’ were reached. His sentencing is slated for July 11, just four days before Republicans convene to formally nominate their presidential candidate to challenge Democratic President Joe Biden in the November election.

Regarding what action Trump supporters should take if he were imprisoned, Republican National Committee Co-Chair Lara Trump told CNN, “Well, they’re gonna do what they’ve done from the beginning, which is remain calm and protest at the ballot box on November 5th. There’s nothing to do other than make your voices heard loud and clear and speak out against this.”

While Trump has intensified his fundraising efforts in the aftermath of his conviction, he has not actively mobilized his supporters, in contrast to his post-election comments in 2020 that were followed by the deadly attack by his supporters on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Following the verdict, some supporters of Trump have displayed U.S. flags upside down, a gesture historically indicating distress or protest in America for more than two centuries.

Lara Trump claimed that the RNC and the Trump campaign amassed $70 million within 48 hours post-verdict, a figure Reuters couldn’t independently verify. She declined to specify the allocation between legal fees and campaign expenses when questioned.

Expressing concern about potential violence from Trump’s supporters, at least one Democratic lawmaker, U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, highlighted the influence Trump wields over his base, stating, “His base listens to him. They don’t listen to Lara Trump. And this is another dangerous appeal to violence,” during an interview with CNN.

However, Trump ally and U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson emphasized the importance of lawful response to the verdict.

Trump has pledged to appeal his conviction by the New York jury, which found him guilty on 34 felony counts related to falsifying documents to conceal a payment aimed at silencing a porn star before the 2016 election.

The resolution of this matter is improbable before the November presidential election, during which he aims to reclaim the White House from Biden. Opinion polls indicate a tight race between the two candidates, suggesting that his conviction could impact Trump negatively among some Republican voters and independents.

Trump’s attorney, Will Scharf, stated on ABC News’ “This Week” that he anticipates Trump will not face any sentence and intends to escalate the case to the Supreme Court.

Despite facing three other criminal cases, including two regarding alleged attempts to overturn his 2020 defeat, it’s unlikely that they will reach trial or conclusion before the election. Trump maintains his innocence in all cases, branding the charges as a Democratic plot to obstruct his candidacy.

In contrast, Biden has defended the integrity of the nation’s justice system, condemning any claims of a “rigged” verdict as “reckless” and “dangerous.” The U.S. Justice Department has refuted allegations of political interference.