After a group of elected Republicans joined former President Trump in New York to support him amid his ongoing criminal “hush money” trial on Monday, a slew of other high-profile GOP supporters including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) joined the former president on Tuesday.
Joining Mr. Johnson in court alongside President Trump on Tuesday were two men rumored to be on the shortlist for President Trump’s 2024 vice presidential pick—Gov. Doug Burgum (R-N.D.) and former GOP candidate for president Vivek Ramaswamy— as well as Florida Reps. Byron Donalds and Cory Mills. The GOP elected officials were seen entering the courthouse with President Trump as he walked to cameras to give brief comments before court resumed on Tuesday.
Tuesday’s high-profile members of President Trump’s entourage came as his former attorney-turned-enemy, Michael Cohen, took the stand for the second day. Mr. Cohen’s testimony and upcoming cross-examination is set to be the most contentious part of the trial, and a key part of President Trump’s defense.
Mr. Johnson has appeared alongside the former president to show his support recently, including a trip to Mar-a-Lago where they announced new House legislation that would require proof of citizenship for voting.
During the visit, President Trump also gave support to the speaker, who was facing the threat of an ouster vote led by Trump ally Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).
Most recently, President Trump gave his support to the speaker as Ms. Greene brought her motion to vacate the speaker earlier this month. President Trump said now was not the time to bring such a vote and that he believed Mr. Johnson was doing a good job. Tuesday’s appearance marks the first time the two have been together since the vote to oust him overwhelmingly failed.
Supporters of the former president on Monday included Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), who is also widely rumored to be on the shortlist for President Trump’s vice president, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), as well as the attorney generals for Iowa and Alabama.
The President’s Supporters
Last week, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) made an appearance at the trial to support President Trump as well.
In a post on X Tuesday morning, Mr. Ramaswamy said it was good to see President Trump in good spirits as they headed to the courthouse.
“This sham trial is a politically motivated assault on the leading candidate for U.S. President, green lit by his political opponent, Joe Biden, and carried out at the highest levels of the White House and Department of Justice,” Mr. Ramaswamy said in his post. “Joe Biden’s former number #3 at the Department Justice, Matthew Colangelo, is now leading the prosecution effort for Bragg, who himself ran for office on the promise of going after Trump. It’s an insult to American democracy.”
Mr. Burgum most recently joined President Trump at his rally in New Jersey, noting he was “honored to speak at [President Trump’s] historic, record-breaking rally in New Jersey.”
“The fired up crowd was so loud that Joe Biden could hear them in his Delaware basement,” Mr. Burgum added.
Mr. Donalds said on X Monday that, “Democrat lawfare is BACKFIRING.” adding “When you criminalize someone with BS, Americans realize it’s completely unfair, political, & they REJECT IT.”
Mr. Mills echoed those sentiments earlier this month, also stating on X, that President Biden was abusing his power through “weaponized lawfare,” adding steps he was taking to “stop the [Biden] administration from destroying America.”
Mr. Johnson has made recent high-profile visits to the city, including at Columbia University where he called on the university’s president to resign amid weeks of contentious Pro-Palestinian protests across the nation.
The speaker was also in the city on Monday, visiting the 9/11 memorial in Lower Manhattan as part of National Police Week to honor law enforcement officers who sacrificed their lives in the tragedy.