'Hit job!' Boris warns 'anti-Trump lawfare backfiring' as ex-President bounces back after hush money trial

Johnson’s remarks came after a New York jury convicted Trump of buying the silence of adult actress Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 US Presidential Election.

Reacting to the verdict in The Daily Mail, Johnson said: "This was no ordinary political assassination. This was a machine-gun mob-style hit-job on Trump."

The former Prime Minister, who suffered his own legal woes after proroguing Parliament during the 2019 Brexit deadlock, also insisted that "anti-Trump lawfare is backfiring".

He insisted the string of legal obstacles facing the 45th President "make his victory more likely, not less".

Johnson added: "The vast mass of American voters could see what I believe was really happening: that the liberal elites were just appalled at Trump’s continuing popularity and his ability to connect with voters – and they were using anything they could find to derail his campaign."

Trump registered a six-point approval boost after being found guilty on all 34 counts, a snap poll conducted by JL Partners revealed.

JL Partners co-founder James Johnson told The Daily Mail: "Our snap poll of a representative sample of likely voters shows that for most Americans the trial has not changed their deep-set views of Trump.

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"But amongst those who are open to changing their mind, people feel more positive by a margin of six points.

"That is outside of the margin of error of the poll and we are saying that is significant.

"It extends to Independent voters too. Look at the explanations and it is clear why: people feel it was a politically motivated trial and view Trump as a 'fighter' against what they see as injustice.

"We will see how it translates into the voting intention polls in the coming days and weeks.

"But going by this poll we might not see much change in terms of the fundamentals of this race."

Despite Trump’s conviction, supporters of the 45th President crashed his website by splashing cash on his fundraising campaign.

Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles, Trump campaign senior advisers, said: "From just minutes after the sham trial verdict was announced, our digital fundraising system was overwhelmed with support, and despite temporary delays online because of the amount of traffic, President Trump raised $34.8million dollars from small-dollar donors."

The 45th President launched a lengthy tirade against the decision taken at the Manhattan courthouse.

He said: "If they can do this to me, they can do this to anyone, they are bad people, in many cases, I believe sick people."

Trump added: "You saw what happened to some of the witnesses that were on our side.

"They were literally crucified by this man [the judge] who looks like an angel, but he's really a devil.

"He looks so nice and soft. People say, 'he seems like such a nice man'. No."

The 77-year-old also took the opportunity to blast White House successor Joe Biden.

Trump described Biden as the "worst President in the history of our country", adding the 81-year-old was also the "most incompetent".

He claimed: "He's the dumbest president we've ever had" and "the most dishonest president we've ever had."

However, the Biden-Harris 2024 campaign said Trump was "sowing chaos".

The campaign's communications director, Michael Tyler, said: "America just witnessed a confused, desperate, and defeated Donald Trump ramble about his own personal grievances and lie about the American justice system, leaving anyone watching with one obvious conclusion: This man cannot be President of the United States.

"Unhinged by his 2020 election loss and spiralling from his criminal convictions, Trump is consumed by his own thirst for revenge and retribution."

The 46th President added: "It's reckless. It's dangerous. It's irresponsible for anyone to say this was rigged just because they don't like the verdict."

Trump is expected to return for sentencing on July 11, with each felony charge carrying a maximum $5,000 fine and a four-year prison sentence.

However, the 45th President vowed to appeal his conviction upon his return to Trump Tower.

Despite a number of legal obstacles on the horizon, there is nothing prohibiting a White House contender from running for the Oval Office from behind bars.

Socialist Eugene Debs received more than 900,000 in 1920 while being banged up in Atlanta Federal Penitentiary.