Biden campaign criticizes Trump as ‘convicted criminal’ in first ad focusing on former president’s legal troubles

The Biden campaign is taking advantage of the conviction of former President Donald Trump in his criminal hush money trial as a focal point of its latest ad in battleground states. The campaign’s new ad, titled “Character Matters,” highlights Trump’s legal troubles and contrasts them with the accomplishments of President Joe Biden’s administration. This marks the first time that the Biden campaign is using Trump’s legal woes in its television advertising campaigns. The ad will be part of a $50 million ad buy in June and will run on television and internet-connected TV in battleground states and on national cable.

The 30-second spot showcases black-and-white images of Trump entering the Manhattan courthouse where he was recently found guilty of falsifying business records. The narrator in the ad points out Trump’s 34 felony convictions, his sexual assault accusations, and financial fraud, while also highlighting Biden’s work in lowering health care costs and holding big corporations accountable. The ad frames the election as a choice between a “convicted criminal” who is only looking out for himself and a president who is fighting for families.

Biden and his campaign have previously refrained from bringing up Trump’s legal issues in their arguments against him, but the recent guilty verdict in New York has prompted a change in strategy. The campaign has used the guilty verdict as evidence that Trump is unfit for office and has labeled him a “convicted felon” in their statements. Biden addressed Trump’s conviction shortly after the verdict was announced, reaffirming the American principle that no one is above the law.

Former President Barack Obama, speaking at a Biden fundraiser in Los Angeles, highlighted the normalization of behavior that used to be disqualifying, in reference to Trump’s conviction. The impact of Trump’s conviction on the 2024 race remains uncertain, as his campaign reported an influx of online donations in the 24 hours following the guilty verdict. The ad push comes just ten days before Biden and Trump are set to face off in a debate, with Biden’s campaign framing Trump as a convicted felon seeking the presidency while attacking the American system of justice.

The upcoming debate between Biden and Trump will take place at a CNN studio in Atlanta and will be the first in-person showdown of the 2024 campaign. The Biden campaign’s communications director, Michael Tyler, characterized Trump as a convicted felon willing to do anything and harm anyone in pursuit of more power and vengeance for himself. The ad campaign sets the stage for a critical moment in the election as voters weigh the choice between a president fighting for their families and a convicted criminal seeking the highest office in the nation.