Michael Avenatti surprises with 'never thought I'd say this' remark, calls Trump 'victim of the system' in Fox News interview
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK: Disbarred attorney and federal inmate Michael Avenatti asserted in a Fox News Digital interview from prison that former President Donald Trump is a "victim of the system."
This statement from Avenatti came on April 22, coinciding with another day of proceedings in a Manhattan court for Trump regarding his hush money trial.
Michael Avenatti calls Donald Trump a 'victim of the system'
Trump faces numerous charges connected to a payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to conceal an alleged affair but maintains that he was unaware of the payment and denies the existence of the affair altogether.
“I certainly see him as a victim of the system,” Avenatti expressed to Fox News from federal prison.
He added, “And that’s something that I never thought I would say. So if Michael Avenatti is coming to his defense, and I was one of his staunchest opponents for a very significant period of time, that should tell people something.”
Once a vocal opponent of Trump, appearing frequently on cable news as Stormy Daniels’ lawyer, Avenatti is now serving time as an inmate at the minimum-security Terminal Island prison in California.
His convictions include extortion, wire fraud, and defrauding Daniels.
Michael Avenatti's surprising defense of Donald Trump draws attention
In his recent Fox interview, Avenatti mentioned being in contact with Trump’s legal team regarding the possibility of being a witness in the former president’s Manhattan trial, asserting that Trump is being “targeted.”
“He has definitely been targeted,” Avenatti remarked, highlighting his belief that the prosecutors are striving to gain recognition for themselves.
This stance marks a significant shift from his previous appearances on cable news where he consistently criticized Trump. Avenatti went as far as to label Trump's charges as "outrageous."
“I think what is happening to Trump right now is wrong, and it’s outrageous. And that is far more important to me than whether I agree with somebody about political views or not, or whether they’re a Republican or Democrat,” he emphasized.
Avenatti also garnered attention for a recent phone interview with MSNBC’s Ari Melber from jail, during which he defended Trump and argued that the former president wouldn’t receive a fair trial in New York.
Melber's choice to interview Avenatti turned out to be a ratings success for MSNBC, although it sparked immediate criticism, even within MSNBC's own ranks, for giving a platform to the disgraced lawyer.
In response, Trump expressed gratitude to Avenatti on Truth Social for his defense.
