Trump Son Don Defends Russell Brand After 10½-Year Sentence
Donald Trump Jr. argued that Russell Brand’s conviction and prison sentence reflected political targeting, linking the comedian’s religious conversion and conservative views to his prosecution. Brand was sentenced for rape and sexual assault at Southwark Crown Court, while prosecutors are reviewing two additional rape allegations.
Donald Trump Jr. said Russell Brand’s conviction and 10-and-a-half-year prison sentence reflected political targeting in a video posted to Rumble on Tuesday, after Brand was sentenced for rape and sexual assault at Southwark Crown Court.
The son of US President Donald Trump tied the prosecution to Brand’s religious conversion and conservative political views. He also challenged the timing of the allegations and the evidence presented at trial.
“He finds God, I guess, changes his ways, sees some aspects of conservative life, and talks about them, and now he's going to spend 10 and a half years in prison for rape when no one had a problem with it in the prior 27 years,” Trump Jr. said.
Police are assessing new reports
Trump Jr. questioned the age of the allegations, which date back to 1999. He also argued that the case lacked forensic evidence and a police report from the time.
“He was convicted, by the way, with no forensic evidence, no DNA, no police report from the time now decades old, on allegations dating back to 1999,” he said.
London police said detectives are “triaging” reports from several new people who came forward during and after the trial. The Crown Prosecution Service is reviewing two additional rape allegations.
Brand’s sentence also drew criticism from Trump Jr., who compared it with punishments for other crimes in Britain. His remarks about the case and its evidence were his own account of the proceedings.
“This raises what I think are some pretty obvious questions about why his sentence was more severe than, I don't know, sentences handed to Muslim grooming gangs across the UK,” Trump Jr. said.
Supporters criticize the conviction
Brand’s US-based wellness business, Reborn, began selling $34.99 “Free Russell” T-shirts after the sentencing. The shirts feature Brand’s image and a statement accusing authorities of trying to “shut me up, shut me down, and squeeze me off every platform.”
Other public figures also criticized the outcome. Megyn Kelly called the conviction a “political witch hunt” and the sentence “insane” on Monday’s broadcast of “The Megyn Kelly Show.” Elon Musk called the punishment “unjust” in a reply on X.
