Several of Donald Trump’s allies have been showing their support for the former president by attending his trial in Manhattan. Explosive testimony has been unfolding about an alleged sexual encounter with an adult film actress and hush money payments made before the 2016 election. House Speaker Mike Johnson will become the highest ranking Republican to attend the trial, joining other Trump allies who are using their presence at the courthouse to demonstrate loyalty and potentially angle for a future administration position if Trump were to win another term.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, Florida Rep. Cory Mills, and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy are among those who have also joined Trump in court. Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance and Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville recently attended as well. Vance and Tuberville spoke to reporters outside the courthouse, attacking the credibility of star witness Michael Cohen, who began testimony on Monday. Other supporters, such as New York Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, and Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird have also appeared in court with Trump.
Eric Trump has appeared alongside his father in court, and several of Trump’s top advisers regularly accompany him. More of Trump’s allies are expected to join him in court in the weeks ahead, with a number of friends and supporters reaching out to ask if they can attend. Some believe there are no political downsides for politicians supporting Trump in court, as it provides them with valuable airtime during a highly publicized trial. Trump is also facing charges in three other criminal cases related to mishandling classified material and attempts to overturn the 2020 election results.
Trump’s allies believe that attending the trial is a way to lend their voices to the former president, especially since Trump is under a gag order that has stripped him of his first amendment rights. The gag order prohibits Trump from publicly discussing witnesses, and he has been fined for violating it multiple times. Cohen is a key witness in the case against Trump, accusing him of illegally falsifying business records after paying off Stormy Daniels as part of an alleged election interference scheme in 2016. Despite the charges, Trump has pleaded not guilty to all 88 criminal charges against him in the New York case.
Overall, Trump’s allies see attending the trial as a way to show support for the former president and potentially secure favors in the future if Trump were to win another term. Showing loyalty to Trump and publicly denouncing the prosecution’s witnesses is seen as a way to curry favor with the former president and potentially gain a position in his administration. The presence of these allies at the courthouse highlights the divide between those who continue to support Trump and those who are critical of his actions and decisions.
