United States—Republican Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Mike Johnson will attend the hush money trial, which will be held in Manhattan on Tuesday and hosted by former President Donald Trump.
However, Johnson, the highest-ranking member of the Republican Party in Congress, a member of the ongoing trial of Trump, who is being charged with trying to hide a payment to an adult film star in the final weeks of his 2016 presidential campaign, is the latest and the most senior party member to be in the proceedings, as reported by Reuters.
High-Ranking GOP Members in Court
North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, who is assumed to be a possible Trump sidekick, is in the same ranks as Byron Donalds and Cory Mills on Tuesday, both of whom are the Republican hardliners, as well as former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamay.
Political Motivations and Allegations
Trump has already attracted several Republicans on Capitol Hill in the form of personal appearances, including Republican Senators Scott, Vance (also another possible Vice President candidate of the President), and Tuberville.
On Monday, Vance, Tuberville, along with Malliotakis, a House Republican, stood by Trump behind the bar of the courtroom. At the same time, he complained about the trial, the judge, and his November challenger, President Joe Biden, a Democrat, as reported by Reuters.
Continued Support Amid Criticism
But outside the courtroom, the senators simply added fuel to the fire Trump had started by echoing his outcry that the prosecution is politically motivated, with both the senators joining in the attack on the credibility of Trump’s ex-lawyer, Michael Cohen, who is a star witness in the case.