Asa Hutchinson mocked for suggesting Americans will gain 'confidence' in Trump's verdict over time

WASHINGTON, DC: On Thursday, June 6, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson (R) insisted that Americans will gradually develop confidence in the recent verdict from former President Trump’s New York hush-money case.

In an interview with CNN’s John Berman on 'CNN News Central,' Hutchinson stated, “I think, as time goes on, America will have more and more confidence in the jury result.”

Historic conviction of Trump sparks heated reactions from GOP leaders

Trump’s conviction marked a historic moment as he became the first former US president to be labeled a convicted felon. The jury found him guilty on all counts of falsifying business records to conceal alleged affairs during his 2016 campaign, The Hill reported.

Reflecting on the verdict, Hutchinson remarked, “We have confidence that 12 of our citizens are gonna make a fair and just verdict, and I hope that in the end, there’s … more confidence versus less confidence in our justice system.”

Last week, Hutchinson stressed the importance of the Republican Party taking Trump’s conviction seriously.

Speaking on 'NewsNation Now,' he highlighted the diligence of the jurors, stating, “You had 12 jurors who, from all appearances, really devoted themselves to seeking the truth in this case, and all 12 of them unanimously said on 34 counts, Donald Trump is guilty. I don’t think that should be lightly dismissed.”

Hutchinson acknowledged the potential for appeals but underscored the gravity of the situation, “You can challenge the judge’s jury instructions, it could be reversed on appeal, but don’t diminish what the jury found after hearing weeks of testimony. And that’s the major point. This is a serious moment for the United States of America. No one should be gleeful about a conviction of a former president.”

Hutchinson urged Republicans to be mindful of their response to the conviction. “Republicans should be very concerned that we have a presumptive nominee that has now been convicted of serious felony charges. And so that’s the message that I think’s important,” he noted.

He also reflected on his initial skepticism about the case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. “I’m a former prosecutor. I know how to evaluate cases. This seemed to be a stretch at the beginning. But as the prosecution put forth their case, obviously, they met the technical requirements of the law. And they presented a case that the jury understood,” Hutchinson said, adding, “So yes, I was skeptical about it. I didn’t think it should have been brought, but it was.”

Following the verdict, Trump vehemently criticized the trial, calling it “rigged” and “disgraceful.” He projected confidence in his future political prospects, declaring, “The real verdict is going to be Nov 5 by the people, and they know what happened here, and everybody knows what happened here.”

Several leading Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (LA) and Senator Marco Rubio (Fla), voiced their disapproval of the verdict.

On Fox News’s 'Hannity,' Rubio remarked, “I think it’s terrible. Today’s events show that if they can go after a former president with a ridiculous charge like this and secure a conviction, they can target anyone. Most people can’t afford to defend themselves against such charges.”

Johnson, in his statement, described the day as “shameful” and characterized the legal process as “lawfare.” He asserted, “President Trump will rightfully appeal this absurd verdict — and he WILL WIN.”

Internet slams Asa Hutchinson for his remarks

Despite his remarks, Hutchinson faced widespread trolling on social media for insisting that Americans will eventually gain "confidence" in the verdict.

"Confident in the fact Biden is a dictator," one posted on X.

"AKA: propaganda will get to them with enough repetition. These tactics are so boring," another wrote. "He's thinking about re-education camps. Guaranteed," someone else alleged.

"How was this guy ever a Republican impeachment manager and a former US Attorney?" a comment read.

"There's a reason he has no name recognition," another user said.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.