Hunter Biden's laptop exposes Biden family as criminals: Trump

FLORIDA: In his first public remarks since pleading not guilty to 34 felony criminal charges during a court hearing in New York, former President Donald Trump railed against the present US President Joe Biden and his family targeting his son Hunter Biden.

"Hunter Biden's laptop exposes Biden family as criminals and according to pollsters would have made a 17-point difference in election result, we needed a lot less than that, it would have been in our favour because our country is going to hell," said Trump on his return from the New York courtroom to Mar-a-Lago.

Trump appeared in a New York City court Tuesday where he heard the charges against him, which stem from an investigation into a hush money payment to an adult film actress in 2016. According to New York-based magazine Intelligencer, Hunter Biden's laptop expose was first brought to the public's attention one month before the 2020 election. It contained data regarding business dealings abroad influencing US foreign policy while his father (Joe Biden) was vice-president.

They include texts and financial records related to his overseas business dealings in China and Ukraine. The laptop details Hunter's involvement with a Ukrainian natural-gas producer that paid him millions of dollars to serve on its board -- the relationship at the centre of Donald Trump's first impeachment. It shows how a Chinese energy company directed millions of dollars in consulting fees to Hunter and his uncle.

It revealed White House meetings and slush-fund dinners and wheeling and dealing, from Romania to Monte Carlo to Cafe Milano. Most important, these people claim the laptop contains proof that, despite his denials, Joe Biden -- allegedly referred to in emails as "the big guy" -- was fully aware of, and looking to profit from, his son's business activities, reported Intelligencer.

Meanwhile, Trump condemned the criminal charges he faced in New York on Tuesday, telling a crowd of supporters that "the only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it." Trump flew back to his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida following his arraignment in Manhattan.

"I never thought anything like this could happen in America. Never thought it could happen," the former US President said during his opening remarks. Trump went on to group the indictment -- stemming from a hush money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign -- with various other legal and political threats he's faced, dismissing them all.

He repeated his claim that the prosecution is meant to derail his candidacy.

"This fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election. And it should be dropped immediately," he said. Throughout his remarks, Trump was dismissive of the case presented by prosecutors. "As it turns out, virtually everybody that has looked at this case including Republicans in name only (RINOs) and even hardcore Democrats say there is no crime, and that it should never have been brought. Never have been brought. Never brought it," he said.

"We have to save our country. I never thought anything like this could happen in America, the only crime that I have committed is, fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it," added Trump. Trump also criticized a lack of focus on President Joe Biden's classified documents. Trump also condemn New York Attorney General Letitia James' investigation into the Trump Organization saying she, "campaigned on 'I will get Trump.' I will get him. This was her campaign. Never ran for office. I will get him. Her name is Letitia James," he said.

Toward the end of his remarks, Trump returned to criticizing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and the charges leveled against him Tuesday in New York. "He knew there was no case. That's why last week he delayed for a month and then immediately took that back and threw this ridiculous indictment together," the former president said.

He also directed sharp attacks at Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the hush money case, saying, "I have a Trump-hating judge." The charges against Trump stem from an investigation into a hush money payment to the adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016.

Prosecutors alleged the former president sought to undermine the integrity of the 2016 election and was part of an unlawful plan to suppress negative information. Prosecutors alleged the former president sought to undermine the integrity of the 2016 election and was part of an unlawful plan to suppress negative information. Trump denied all wrongdoing and his lawyers have said they'll fight to get the charges dropped.