Trump says trial, conviction ‘very hard’ on wife Melania

Former President Trump said Sunday that his weeks-long criminal hush money trial in New York City and conviction Thursday have been “very hard” on his wife, Melania, amid testimony recounting his alleged infidelity.

Trump was convicted Thursday of 34 felony counts of falsifying business documents, the first time a former U.S. president was ever convicted of a crime. He has appealed the ruling.

The charges were connected to hush money payments made in the weeks before the 2016 election intended to cover up a prior affair between Trump and a porn actor, which he has denied.

The affair with Stormy Daniels is alleged to have happened at a celebrity golf tournament in 2006, just a year after Trump had married Melania and months after the birth of their son, Barron.

“She’s fine, but I think it’s very hard for her,” Trump said of the former first lady in a “Fox and Friends” interview, adding that “in many ways, it’s tougher on them [my family] than it is me.”

“I have a wonderful wife who has to listen to this stuff all the time. They do that for this reason. They do that, all these salacious names that they put in of these people, and I’m not even allowed to defend myself because of the gag order. Think of it,” Trump said, without specifying who “they” is. 

“But they put this stuff in to create havoc. These are bad people,” he continued. “I know everything they’re doing. I know every move they make; I get it.” 

Trump said later in the interview that he is “OK” with the possibility of going to prison. He could face up to four years behind bars for the charges, though it is considered unlikely. His sentencing is scheduled for July 11.