--- title: How Trump’s Conviction Was Mentioned During the Debate With Biden description: While Trump’s recent conviction was expected to dominate the first presidential debate of 2024, it only came up briefly. canonical: https://time.com/6993442/trump-guilty-conviction-mentions-presidential-debate/ author: Koh Ewe article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2024-06-28T05:15:00.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-19T07:43:53.675Z article:section: Politics og:title: How Trump’s Conviction Was Mentioned During the Debate With Biden og:description: While Trump’s recent conviction was expected to dominate the first presidential debate of 2024, it only came up briefly. og:url: https://time.com/6993442/trump-guilty-conviction-mentions-presidential-debate/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3d833b2937474c9e/698a583f011682f9f4985f30/Trump-Biden-Presidential-Debate-Conviction.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: Donald Trump Joe Biden Debate Hush Money Conviction og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: How Trump’s Conviction Was Mentioned During the Debate With Biden twitter:description: While Trump’s recent conviction was expected to dominate the first presidential debate of 2024, it only came up briefly. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3d833b2937474c9e/698a583f011682f9f4985f30/Trump-Biden-Presidential-Debate-Conviction.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # How Trump and Biden Talked About Trump’s Conviction During the First Presidential Debate > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=c86afeb1-ba14-4c81-ab24-7d1b3024667a&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: How Trump and Biden Talked About Trump’s Conviction During the First Presidential Debate [Watch (HLS stream): How Trump and Biden Talked About Trump’s Conviction During the First Presidential Debate](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/g4QHua2j.m3u8) (2:55)  _Published 2024-06-28. About 45 minutes into the CNN Presidential Debate, President Joe Biden referenced former President Donald Trump’s recent felony conviction regarding in New York, during a discussion about the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection. Trump then sought to pivot from his own legal troubles by referring to Biden’s son, Hunter, as a “convicted felon," referring to the younger Biden's felony conviction this month on three firearms charges._ by [Koh Ewe](https://time.com/author/koh-ewe/) ## Koh Ewe Koh Ewe (Koyu) was a reporter for TIME based in Singapore. Jun 28, 2024 5:15 AM UTC About 45 minutes into the CNN Presidential Debate, President Joe Biden referenced former President Donald Trump’s recent felony conviction regarding in New York, during a discussion about the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection. Trump then sought to pivot from his own legal troubles by referring to Biden’s son, Hunter, as a “convicted felon," referring to the younger Biden's felony conviction this month on three firearms charges. by [Koh Ewe](https://time.com/author/koh-ewe/) ## Koh Ewe Koh Ewe (Koyu) was a reporter for TIME based in Singapore. Jun 28, 2024 5:15 AM UTC After [former President Donald Trump](https://time.com/6972021/donald-trump-2024-election-interview/) was [criminally convicted last month](https://time.com/6983196/donald-trump-convicted-hush-money-trial-new-york/), a historic first [for a U.S. President](https://time.com/6984228/trump-convicted-world-leaders/), the guilty verdict was expected to be a topic neither Trump—who has [campaigned on](https://time.com/6984208/trump-verdict-guilty-political-fundraising-winred-republicans-democrats/) the claim that he was politically targeted—nor [President Joe Biden](https://time.com/6984970/joe-biden-2024-interview/) could stay away from. But instead of [dominating discussion](https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/06/26/trump-criminal-conviction-first-debate-00165206), Trump’s conviction only came up for the first time more than 45 minutes into the over 90-minute debate moderated by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Dana Bash—and it was only mentioned during one less than five-minute segment. **Read More:** [_These Are the Biggest Moments in the First Presidential Debate_](https://time.com/6993360/first-presidential-debate-biggest-moments-2024/) “The only person in this stage \[who\] is a convicted felon is the man I’m looking at right now,” Biden said during a back and forth about the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot in 2021 and protests in the wake of George Floyd’s killing in 2020 after Trump suggested that Republican demonstrators were treated unfairly by the courts and Congress. “The fact is that there was no effort on his part to stop what was going on up on Capitol Hill,” Biden said. “And all those people, every one of those that are convicted, deserves to be convicted,” he added. “The idea that those people are patriots? Come on.” In an immediate follow-up question, Tapper asked Trump to clarify what he meant when he said publicly after his conviction that he would [“have every right to go after”](https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/05/politics/trump-prosecute-political-opponents/index.html) his political opponents. “My retribution is going to be success,” Trump replied. “We’re going to make this country successful again, because right now, it’s a failing nation.” **Read More:** [_Calls for Biden to Step Aside Are About to Get Deafening_](https://time.com/6993335/first-presidential-debate-analysis-2024/) Trump then turned the discussion toward Biden and his son Hunter, the first son of a sitting U.S. President to be convicted of a felony when he was [found guilty](https://time.com/6987280/hunter-biden-guilty-gun-trial/) earlier this month of three felony charges for lying about his drug use when he bought a gun in 2018. “When he talks about a convicted felon, his son is a convicted felon at a very high level. His son is convicted, going to be convicted probably numerous other times, should have been convicted before,” Trump said. He also suggested Biden could face prosecution, saying: “He could be a convicted felon as soon as he gets out of office. Joe could be a convicted felon with all of the things that he’s done.” Trump cited “all of the death caused at the border” (likely referencing cases of [undocumented migrants suspected of murder](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/jocelyn-nungaray-houston-trump-biden-debate-immigration-rcna158394), which are [rare](https://www.cato.org/blog/illegal-immigrants-have-low-homicide-conviction-rate-setting-record-straight-illegal-immigrant)) as well as a popular right-wing conspiracy theory that Biden, when he was Vice President, improperly leveraged a $1 billion loan to Ukraine to remove a prosecutor who Trump and his allies have [falsely claimed](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/10/21/fact-check-joe-biden-leveraged-ukraine-aid-oust-corrupt-prosecutor/5991434002/) was investigating Hunter Biden. (Joe Biden has admitted to pressuring Ukraine to remove the prosecutor for corruption, unrelated to his son.) “This man is a criminal. This man, you’re lucky,” Trump added about Biden. ​​“We have a system that was rigged and disgusting. I did nothing wrong.” **Read More:** [_Trump’s Debate Strategy: Let Biden Bury Himself_](https://time.com/6993347/trump-debate/) Biden shot back: “The idea that I did anything wrong relative to what you’re talking about is outrageous,” pointing to Trump’s many past and pending legal troubles, including being [found liable last year](https://time.com/6275589/e-jean-carroll-trump-civil-trial/) for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll. “Think of all the civil penalties you have. How many billions of dollars do you owe in civil penalties for molesting a woman in public? For doing a whole range of things? Of having sex with a porn star on the night while your wife was pregnant? What are you talking about? You have the morals of an alley cat.” “I didn’t have sex with a porn star,” Trump responded. (According to Stormy Daniels, the adult film star who was at the center of [Trump’s hush-money trial](https://time.com/6981723/trump-trial-hush-money/), the sexual encounter she had with Trump that he paid her to keep silent about took place [just after](https://www.newsweek.com/president-donald-trump-stormy-daniels-affair-melania-trump-783790) Trump’s wife Melania gave birth to their son Baron.) Trump also said that his conviction was politically-motivated—claiming that the prosecutors and judge were “all high ranking Democrats”—but that his campaign has benefited as a result “because the public knows it’s a scam.” When Biden was asked if the millions of Americans voting for Trump “will be voting against American democracy,” he said: “more they know about what he’s done, yes.” “And there’s a lot more coming. He’s got a lot of cases down the road,” Biden said, likely referring to Trump’s other [ongoing legal battles](https://www.politico.com/interactives/2023/trump-criminal-investigations-cases-tracker-list/) over allegations including election interference and mishandling of classified documents. “I don’t know what the juries will do, but I do know he has a real problem.” ## Transcript [00:00] The only person on this stage is a convicted felon is the man I'm looking at right now. [00:04] And the fact of the matter is, [00:06] he is what he's telling you is simply not true. [00:09] The fact is that there was no effort on [00:12] his part to stop what was going on up on Capitol Hill, [00:15] and all those people, every one of those who was convicted, [00:18] deserves to be convicted. [00:20] The idea that they didn't kill somebody just went in and broke down doors, [00:24] broke the windows, occupied offices, [00:27] turned over desk, turned him over statues. [00:30] The idea that those people are patriots. Come on. [00:34] But when he talks about a convicted felon, [00:36] his son is a convicted felon, [00:38] at a very high level, his son is convicted. [00:40] Gonna be convicted probably numerous other times, [00:43] should have been convicted before, [00:45] but his justice department let [00:46] the statute of limitations lapse on the most important things. [00:50] But he could be a convicted felon as soon as he gets out of office. [00:53] Joe could be a convicted felon with all of the things that he's done. [00:56] He's done horrible things. [00:57] All of the death caused at the border, [01:00] telling the Ukrainian people that we're gonna want $1 billion. [01:04] A go change the prosecutor. [01:06] Otherwise, you're not getting $1 billion. [01:07] If I ever said that, that's quid pro quo. [01:11] But we're not gonna do anything. [01:13] We're not gonna give you $1,000,000,000 unless [01:15] you change your prosecutor having to do with the son. [01:17] This man is a criminal. [01:19] This man, you're lucky. You're lucky. I did nothing wrong. [01:22] We'd have a system that was rigged and disgusting. I did nothing wrong. [01:26] Idea that I did anything wrong, [01:29] relative to what you're talking about is outrageous. [01:32] It's simply a lie, number one. [01:34] Number two, the idea that you have a right to seek retribution against any American, [01:39] just because your president is wrong, is simply wrong. [01:42] No president's ever spoken like that before. [01:44] No president in our history has spoken like that before. [01:47] Number three, the crimes that you are still charged with. [01:50] And think of all the civil penalties you have. [01:52] How many billions of dollars do you owe in [01:54] civil penalties for molesting a woman in public, [01:58] for doing a whole range of things of having sex with [02:01] a porn star on the night while your wife was pregnant. [02:05] I mean, what are you talking about? [02:08] You have the morals of an alley cat. [02:10] Give your minute, sir. [02:12] I didn't have sex with the Porntr. Number one. [02:14] Number two, that was a case that was started and moved. [02:18] They moved a high ranking official, [02:20] a DOJ into the Manhattan DA's office to start that case. [02:24] That case is going to be appealed and one. [02:26] We had a very terrible judge, [02:29] a horrible judge, Democrat. [02:31] The prosecutor were all high ranking Democrats, appointed people. [02:35] And both the civil and the criminal. [02:38] He basically went after [02:40] his political opponent because he thought it was going to damage me. [02:43] But when the public found out about these cases, [02:45] 'cause they understand it better than he does, [02:47] he has no idea what these cases are. [02:49] But when they found out about these cases, [02:51] you know what they did, my poll numbers went up way up. [02:54] You know that 'cause you're reporting it. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/6993442/trump-guilty-conviction-mentions-presidential-debate/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/6993442/trump-guilty-conviction-mentions-presidential-debate/"},"headline":"How Trump and Biden Talked About Trump’s Conviction During the First Presidential Debate","datePublished":"2024-06-28T05:15:00.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-19T07:43:53.675Z","description":"While Trump’s recent conviction was expected to dominate the first presidential debate of 2024, it only came up briefly.","url":"https://time.com/6993442/trump-guilty-conviction-mentions-presidential-debate/","keywords":["2024 Elections","overnight","News Desk"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3d833b2937474c9e/698a583f011682f9f4985f30/Trump-Biden-Presidential-Debate-Conviction.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Koh Ewe","jobTitle":"Koh Ewe (Koyu) was a reporter for TIME based in Singapore.","url":"https://time.com/author/koh-ewe/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3d833b2937474c9e/698a583f011682f9f4985f30/Trump-Biden-Presidential-Debate-Conviction.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Donald Trump Joe Biden Debate Hush Money Conviction","caption":"Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks during the CNN Presidential Debate at the CNN Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 27, 2024.","creditText":"Justin Sullivan—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/2024-election/","name":"2024 Elections"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/6993442/trump-guilty-conviction-mentions-presidential-debate/","name":"How Trump and Biden Talked About Trump’s Conviction During the First Presidential Debate"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"How Trump and Biden Talked About Trump’s Conviction During the First Presidential Debate","description":"About 45 minutes into the CNN Presidential Debate, President Joe Biden referenced former President Donald Trump’s recent felony conviction regarding in New York, during a discussion about the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection. 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