Trump accuses Biden of running a ‘Gestapo administration’ while attacking prosecutor: Live updates

After spending yet another week in Manhattan courtroom, Donald Trump delivered a scathing speech at a private RNC donor retreat in which he compared the Biden administration to Nazis.

“These people are running a Gestapo administration,” Mr Trump told a crowd of deep-pocketed donors at Mar-a-Lago, according to an audio recording obtained by the New York Times.

The former president apparently suggested that the Biden administration was responsible for the series of indictments against him.

Mr Trump added, “And it’s the only thing they have. And it’s the only way they’re going to win, in their opinion, and it’s actually killing them. But it doesn’t bother me.”

He then turned his attention to Jack Smith, mocking him personally.

“He’s unattractive both inside and out,” Mr Trump told the audience. “This is one unattractive dude.”

The ritzy event likely comes as a welcome change to Mr Trump, who endured the third week of his hush money trial.

In New York last week, Mr Trump had to sit silently in court as he listened to testimony from his former communications adviser Hope Hicks.

The trial will resume on Monday.

The Independent’s Alex Woodward is covering the trial at Manhattan Criminal Court.