Former President Trump's trial in Manhattan has attracted the support of GOP lawmakers and politicians, some of whom are being considered as potential running mates for Trump's 2024 presidential bid.
Former President Trump's unprecedented trial in Manhattan has witnessed a significant show of support from Republican lawmakers and politicians who have been floated as potential running mates for Trump's 2024 run.
Outside the courtroom on Tuesday, Trump was joined by a group of prominent GOP figures, including North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, Florida Rep. Cory Mills, and former 2024 GOP contender Vivek Ramaswamy. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson was also notably present.
"Vivek is here right now, so he can speak for himself – he said, 'This is a sham trial. It's politically motivated. It's an assault on the leading candidate for U.S. president.'… He's going to talk to you. The speaker of the House is here. We have Byron Donalds, Cory is here. We have a lot of great people here to talk to you," Trump said outside the courtroom.
The lineup of supporters follows a similar gathering on Monday, which included Ohio Sen. JD Vance, New York Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville, and Trump's son, Eric Trump. A Trump campaign official told Fox News Digital that the supporters all volunteered to join Trump in court to show their support and were not invited by the campaign.
On Tuesday, Trump returned to court for the 17th day of his trial, where the court was expected to hear again from former Trump attorney Michael Cohen.
Monday's proceedings were filled with action, as Cohen took the stand and provided detailed testimony. He revealed that he had secretly recorded Trump in 2016 regarding a payment to former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who claimed she had an affair with Trump.
Cohen said he made the recording to ease publisher David Pecker's mind that he would be repaid for purchasing the potentially damaging story and to keep Pecker "loyal" to Trump.
The large showing of Trump allies this week comes as Trump has remained coy about his potential vice presidential pick, only telling the press that the selection will be made before the Republican National Convention in July.
"This weekend, we had 15 people.... They’re all out there campaigning," Trump told Spectrum News 1 Wisconsin last week after a closed-door fundraiser in Florida. "It might actually be more effective this way because, you know, every one of them thinks they could be chosen, which I guess possibly is so."
On Monday, Vance, Malliotakis, and Tuberville held a press conference outside the courthouse, where they criticized the gag order imposed on Trump amid the trial, which prevents him from speaking publicly about witnesses and family members of court officials.
"The thing that the president is prevented from saying, which is a disgrace, is that every single person involved in this prosecution is practically a Democratic political operative," Vance said.
The trial is set to continue with further testimony from Cohen and other witnesses. The jury is expected to begin deliberations once all the evidence has been presented.
