Donald Trump's foreign allies, from Hungary's Viktor Orban to Britain's Nigel Farage, rallied to his defence saying his trial was politically motivated, while others reacted cautiously, aware they may have to work with him as president again soon.
Trump, who has denied wrongdoing, said the trial, in which he became the first former U.S. president convicted of a crime, had been rigged against him and that the "real verdict" would come when he runs for the presidency again in November.
"Solidarity and full support for @realDonaldTrump, victim of judicial harassment and a process of political nature," said Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, who heads the anti-immigrant League party.
Farage, a leading Brexit campaigner in Britain who has previously campaigned with Trump, said on X: "This verdict is a disgrace. Trump will now win big."
During his first term from 2017 to 2021, Trump repeatedly clashed with traditional allies, in Europe and beyond, over trade, defence spending and many other policies.
The relationship was often uneasy, with old allies unsure how to deal with Trump.
If he won another term, Trump would likely install loyalists in key positions, allowing him more freedom to enact isolationist policies and enforce his foreign policy priorities, current and former aides and diplomats have said.
Trump himself has offered few clues about what kind of foreign policy he would pursue next time around, beyond broad claims like ending the Ukraine war in 24 hours or saying he would not want to protect NATO members from a future attack by Russia if those countries' contributions to the defence alliance were lagging - which worried traditional allies.
Possibly with that backdrop in mind and with sentencing and a likely appeal by Trump yet to come, many in Europe and elsewhere simply did not react publicly after the New York jury found him guilty of falsifying business records to cover up a hush-money payment to a porn star.
Trump's foreign allies lambast conviction, others keep their counsel
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