Speaker of the House Mike Johnson joined former President Donald Trump at his criminal trial in Manhattan on Tuesday, becoming the latest high-profile Republican to attend the proceedings. Johnson, the top Republican in the US, greeted Trump with a smile and a nod before delivering a brief statement to the press outside the courthouse.
Johnson described the trial as a “sham” and a “disgrace,” calling Michael Cohen, the prosecution’s key witness, a “proven liar.” He argued that Trump was being targeted by political opponents to keep him off the campaign trail. The show of support comes just a week after Johnson survived a challenge to his leadership, partly because Trump spoke out in his favour.
Johnson’s appearance was part of a broader surge in Republican attendance at the trial, which has increasingly resembled a preview of the party’s national convention. Senators Tommy Tuberville and Rick Scott, as well as several vice-presidential contenders including JD Vance, Byron Donalds, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Doug Burgum, have also been seen in the courtroom.
The trial centres on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels. Prosecutors argue the alleged cover-up amounts to election interference. Trump, who denies the charges, is subject to a gag order that prohibits him from discussing certain topics, which Republicans have addressed in their own press conferences.
The growing Republican presence has blurred the lines between political and legal proceedings, with many attendees reportedly seeking to gain favour with Trump and share in the spotlight. The trial, which is expected to continue for several more weeks, has firmly become a political spectacle.
