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In the days leading up to Donald Trump’s sentencing in his criminal case, the president-elect published some hysterical rants to his social media platform, baselessly describing the judge in the case as “corrupt,” condemning the case as “a Rigged Charade” and even attacking the Justice Department and the FBI, which had nothing to do with his New York prosecution.
During the sentencing, the defendant continued to whine unnecessarily, at one point even labeling the local prosecutor who indicted him as a “criminal.” Immediately after he was sentenced, the Republican kept going, publishing yet another online tirade filled with weird conspiracy theories.
All of this, of course, helped to set the stage for his inevitable fundraising appeal. NBC News noted:
Trump sent out a fundraising email immediately after being sentenced, saying he wants to hear from his supporters. The email links to a page soliciting monetary donations and asking if they stand with him after his sentencing.
MaddowBlog obtained a copy, and it’s a doozy.
“They’re trying to sabotage the Presidential Transition process,” the fundraising message reads, despite the fact that Trump’s criminal sentence will have literally no effect on the presidential transition process, and it’s not at all clear who “they” might be.
The same message added, “They’re trying to END the presidency as we know it — just before I take office!” (The American presidency will remain unaffected by the outcome of this case, though Trump’s successors will probably think twice before paying hush money to porn stars.)
Apparently hoping to encourage prospective donors, the appeal also included this line: “I WANT TO READ EVERY RESPONSE TONIGHT — SUBMIT NOW.”
Part of the problem with this is that Trump, his overwrought complaints notwithstanding, was hardly punished at all. Yes, he’s been convicted of 34 felonies, and the outcome carries some political significance, but an “unconditional discharge” sentence means the president-elect won’t spend a second behind bars, won’t have to pay any fines and won’t even be on probation.
The Republican has been held accountable for wrongdoing — for his critics, a welcome change of pace — but he’s effectively escaped real consequences thanks to a penalty-free sentence, which makes his overdramatic reach for the fainting couch difficult to countenance.
Another element to keep in mind is that the Republican clearly doesn’t need the money. His pre-inaugural fundraising efforts have been extraordinarily successful, to the point that his team is reportedly no longer offering VIP packages, and given that Trump can’t run for another term, the latest appeal seems wholly unnecessary.
But even if we put these details aside, it’s the broader political environment that stands out as truly extraordinary.
In theory, a politician convicted of nearly three dozen felonies should hope the public pays as little attention as possible to the developments. But in practice, given the state of Republican Party politics in 2025, it seems oddly normal to see the incoming American president effectively say, “A jury heard the evidence against me; they found me guilty; and I’ve been sentenced for many felonies — so you should definitely reward me with cash.”
What’s more, recent history suggests that Trump’s latest appeal will, in fact, have the intended effect, and his followers will respond to his criminal sentence by reaching for their wallets.
There’s an old adage: Crime doesn’t pay. It’s hard not to notice that Trump continues to put that maxim to the test.