Michael Whatley, Co-Chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), recently discussed the potential for former President Donald Trump to deliver his convention speech from prison, as Trump’s sentencing on June 11th will occur just days before the convention. The convention, set to take place in Milwaukee from July 15 to July 18, is where Trump is expected to accept the Republican Party’s nomination for the presidency.
During a Tuesday interview, Newsmax host Rob Finnerty questioned Whatley about the RNC’s contingency plans regarding Trump’s acceptance speech should he be sentenced to jail. Following Trump’s recent guilty verdict, Judge Juan Merchan scheduled the sentencing for July 11, just four days prior to the convention.
Finnerty asked, “If Trump ends up behind bars, would he be able to make a speech from prison? Could he record a speech before the sentencing to be played during the RNC? Are these scenarios being considered and planned for?”
Whatley assured, “Every possible scenario is being thought about and planned for.”
He further conveyed his confidence that Trump will deliver his convention remarks as scheduled, even if that means speaking from prison. “We need to see what the courts allow us to do, but Donald Trump will find a way to communicate directly with American voters, as he always has,” Whatley emphasized.
Trump’s recent conviction in a New York hush money case marked an unprecedented legal development, with the former president found guilty on 34 felony counts. Each count carries a potential sentence of up to four years in prison.
However, legal experts consider it highly unlikely that Trump will serve jail time. His conviction involves a white-collar, nonviolent, first-time offense, which typically does not result in a prison sentence.