Donald Trump met with his probation officer on Monday following his conviction late last month on 34 felonies for crimes he committed to help boost his election chances when he first ran for president in 2016. The presumptive Republican nominee for president sat for his pre-sentencing probation interview from Mar-a-Lago alongside his attorney Todd Blanche. A female probation officer interviewed him over a special virtual network with added security measures.
Judge Juan Merchan, who presided over the hush-money trial, allowed the interview to be virtual and for Blanche to be present, following no objection from prosecutors. Probation interviews are required by court as part of a pre-sentencing report, and are usually conducted in person with the defendant alone. Then again, the defendant is usually not a former president.
The former president’s defense team is expected to submit their sentencing recommendations on June 13. Sentencing has been scheduled for July 11 in New York, just four days before the Republican National Convention, where the GOP is expected to name Trump its official nominee for president. Late Monday afternoon, the Trump campaign sent out a fundraising email that referenced the interview, headlined: “I’m living the American nightmare!” “Can you believe this, Friend?” the email read.
“I’m actually about to speak to a probation officer after my RIGGED CONVICTION! My only crime? Putting the AMERICAN PEOPLE, ahead of the COMMUNISTS, MARXISTS, AN.