Donald Trump’s allies are showing their support for him at the Manhattan criminal courthouse where he is on trial, as explosive testimony unfolds about his alleged sexual encounter with an adult film actress and the hush money payment made to keep it under wraps. House Speaker Mike Johnson, 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 visited the courthouse to demonstrate their loyalty to Trump and potentially angle for a role in his administration if he were to win another term.
Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville, New York Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, and Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird have also stood by Trump in court and criticized the prosecution’s star witness, Michael Cohen, for his testimony. Trump’s allies believe that their presence at the trial is a way to support him and push back against the case being made against him. The former president is facing multiple criminal cases and has pleaded not guilty to all charges, including allegations of mishandling classified material and attempting to overturn the 2020 election results.
Despite a gag order preventing Trump from publicly discussing witnesses, his allies have continued to show up at the trial to lend their voices to his defense. Mark Serrano, a senior adviser to Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign, believes that Trump’s allies feel compelled to attend the trial to speak out in support of him since he is unable to do so due to the gag order. Trump has been fined for violating the order in the past, including for comments made about Cohen, who is a key witness in the case against him. The charges against Trump include allegations of falsifying business records related to the payment made to Stormy Daniels, an adult film actress.
The presence of Trump’s allies at the trial has not gone unnoticed, with more expected to join him in court in the coming weeks. They view the trial as an opportunity to show their support for Trump and potentially gain exposure in the media by aligning themselves with him. While some critics may question the political motivations behind their appearances, Trump’s allies argue that there are no downsides to standing by him during the trial. As the case unfolds, Trump’s allies are expected to continue showing up at the courthouse to demonstrate their loyalty and support for the former president.
In the midst of the trial, Trump’s allies have used their platform outside the courthouse to attack the credibility of witnesses like Cohen and undermine the prosecution’s case against Trump. They see the trial as a way to stand up for Trump and push back against what they view as unfair treatment of the former president. Despite the challenges Trump faces in the courtroom, his allies remain steadfast in their support and are willing to continue to publicly defend him as the legal proceedings continue.
