Donald Trump Jr. has joined several prominent conservative voices in defending British comedian Russell Brand after he was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison for rape and sexual assault. In a video shared on X on November 10, US President Donald Trump’s eldest son questioned the conviction and the length of the sentence, claiming Brand was prosecuted after embracing Christianity and expressing support for conservative ideas. He also questioned the absence of forensic evidence and suggested that the comedian was being treated unfairly by the British justice system.In the video, the 48-year-old businessman criticised the prosecution, claiming that Brand was convicted without forensic evidence, DNA or a police report from the time of the alleged offences.“He was convicted, by the way, with no forensic evidence, no DNA, no police report from the time,” Don Jr. said.
Donald Trump Jr. has come out in support of Russell Brand following his rape conviction. (Photo: Facebook)
He also questioned why allegations against Brand, some of which date back several years, had not resulted in criminal proceedings earlier. Referring to the comedian’s past marriage to singer Katy Perry, he suggested that Brand’s celebrity status had not attracted similar scrutiny at the time.“So, when he was, like, married to Katy Perry and 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,” he said.Trump Jr. then linked Brand’s recent religious and political views to the timing of the prosecution, suggesting that his embrace of Christianity and conservative ideas had made him a target.“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 imprisoned for rape, when no one had a problem with it in the prior 27 years,” he added.
What happened in Russell Brand’s rape and sexual assault case?
Brand, 51, was sentenced at London’s Southwark Crown Court on November 9, 2026, after a jury found him guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault involving four women. The offences took place between 2004 and 2009. He was acquitted of two other rape charges and one count of attempted indecent assault.During sentencing, Judge Joel Bennathan described Brand as a “sexual predator” and criticised his “staggering arrogance”. The judge also said Brand’s growing fame had enabled him to behave as though he was above the rules followed by others.Brand denied the charges and maintained that the sexual encounters were consensual. However, the jury found him guilty on four counts following a four-week trial.It is worth noting that while Trump Jr. referred to allegations dating back 27 years, the four offences resulting in Brand’s convictions were committed between 2004 and 2009. The prosecution’s case included testimony from the women, and the absence of DNA evidence does not mean there was no evidence before the court.
Megyn Kelly and Elon Musk also defend Russell Brand
Trump Jr. is not the only prominent conservative figure to question Brand’s conviction and prison sentence.On the November 9 episode of The Megyn Kelly Show, broadcaster Megyn Kelly described the case as a “political witch hunt” and called the 10-and-a-half-year sentence “insane”.Meanwhile, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk also reacted to the development on X. Responding to another user’s post about the sentence, Musk called it “unjust”.The reactions have sparked further debate around Brand’s conviction, the British justice system and the role of celebrity and political affiliations in public discussions surrounding criminal cases.
Russell Brand’s wife supported him during the trial
Brand’s wife, Laura Brand, was present during the court proceedings and had also given evidence in his defence. During the trial, she described her husband as “amazingly attentive” and “kind”, telling the jury, “I love him very much.”Despite Brand’s continued denial of the allegations, the jury convicted him on four counts. The judge’s sentence means he will serve two-thirds of his 10-year-and-six-month term before being released on licence, subject to the applicable conditions.