Trump said he feels deeply saddened by the conviction of the Hong Kong media figure under national security charges. “I feel so bad. I spoke to President Xi about it, and I asked him to consider his release,” Trump told reporters, without saying exactly when the request was made.

Trump added that Lai is elderly and unwell. “He’s an older man, and he’s not well. So I did put that request out. We’ll see what happens.”

Lai is the founder of the pro-democracy newspaper ‘Apple Daily’, which was shut down after Beijing’s crackdown. Trump is believed to have raised the issue again during a meeting with Xi in October in South Korea. The case has drawn strong reactions from US officials and human rights groups.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the verdict shows China’s resolve to “silence those who seek to protect freedom of speech and other fundamental rights”. He reminded that China had promised Hong Kong a separate system before the 1997 handover.

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Rubio also warned that Lai’s health has worsened during more than 1,800 days in prison. “We urge the authorities to bring this ordeal to an end as soon as possible and to release Mr. Lai on humanitarian grounds.”

Lai’s conviction has been condemned worldwide by governments, institutions, and human rights groups. The British citizen and devout Catholic has strong support among democracy and press freedom advocates in the US.

After the verdict, Lai’s daughter Claire appealed for her father’s release. She said he wants to reunite with his family and devote his remaining life to faith, not politics.

Lai, 78, who is diabetic, has been in jail since late 2020. Convicted on all three charges, he could spend the rest of his life in prison. His case is part of China’s wider crackdown on Hong Kong following the 2019 mass protests.