In a recent interview with Fox News, former President Donald Trump denied ever calling for his 2016 campaign rival, Hillary Clinton, to be imprisoned, despite the popular chant among his supporters of "Lock her up." Trump attributed his decision to not pursue Clinton's imprisonment to his victory in the election and the belief that it would have been detrimental to the country.

During the interview, Trump stated, "I didn't say 'lock her up,' but the people said lock her up, lock her up." He emphasized that he chose not to act on those demands, as he felt it would have been a "terrible thing" and instead focused on making the country great.

However, records show that there were instances where Trump did agree with calls for Clinton's imprisonment. In July 2016, he expressed agreement with the crowd's chants of "Lock her up" during a rally in Colorado. Additionally, in the weeks leading up to the 2016 election, Trump stated that he would appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Clinton and seek to put her in jail for her use of a private email server.

Despite these past statements, after his election victory in November 2016, Trump took a more conciliatory tone towards Clinton. During a post-election rally, when the crowd began chanting "Lock her up," Trump refrained from lashing out at Clinton, instead calling for unity and the healing of the nation's divisions.

Interestingly, even during his 2020 campaign against a different Democratic presidential nominee, Trump still nodded in agreement with chants to lock up Clinton. This indicates a shift in his stance towards her over the years.

Now, following his conviction on Thursday on 34 charges in his hush money trial, Trump awaits his sentencing, which is scheduled for July 11. There is uncertainty surrounding whether he could be sentenced to prison, with potential outcomes including up to four years of imprisonment, home confinement, probation, or a fine.

Trump's legal team has vowed to appeal the guilty verdict, and New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan will ultimately decide his punishment.

As Trump's legal battles continue, all eyes will be on the upcoming sentencing and the potential implications it may have on the future of the former president.

In the meantime, stay updated with the latest news on the 2024 election as our reporters cover the campaign trail and developments in Washington.