Donald Trump Jr, the US President’s eldest son, has defended convicted rapist Russell Brand, suggesting the case against the British comedian was politically motivated.
During an episode of his streaming show, Triggered, on Rumble, broadcast on Tuesday (November 10), the 48-year-old gave a monologue beneath a headline reading “Britain’s Two-Tier Justice Exposed.” A clip of the monologue was shared across social media, quickly going viral and sparking outrage.
Claims of Unreliable Evidence
Trump Jr claimed the evidence behind the conviction was unreliable and implied Brand was being targeted for his Christian faith and right-wing political views.
“He was convicted, by the way, with no forensic evidence, no DNA, no police report at the time, now decades old, to allegations dating back to 1999,” Trump Jr said.
“So when he was married to Katy Perry, he was one of the most famous actors in the world, no one seemed to have a problem, no one seemed to think he was a rapist then.”
Comparing Sentences
He continued: “But 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.”
Comparing Brand’s sentence to other high-profile cases in Britain, Trump Jr said, as reported by The Hill: “Now, take a step back and think about what this tells you about a society that seems to decide punishment and sentencing based on who you are instead of what you did.
“The same establishment that lectures America about norms can’t find a consistent sentence for the worst crime on the books.”
Comments on Perry
“Like I always say, it’s just yet another example of how Britain is falling and failing to uphold any sense of equal justice. And again, the stuff that I’ve read with Russell, they were doing some pretty crazy stuff, and then it went further.
“There were no complaints. Then 27 years later, rape.
“It’s crazy.”
Popstar Katy Perry, who was married to Brand for 14 months between 2010 and 2011, said in past interviews that Brand struggled with her global success after her Teenage Dream album. In 2013, Perry described his behaviour toward her authority on tour as “really hurtful” and “very controlling.” She also hinted that she initially blamed herself for the divorce until she “found out the real truth”, which she kept “locked in my safe for a rainy day.”
