The Entourage: Speaker Mike Johnson, VP Hopefuls Join Donald Trump At Courthouse To Support His Claim Of A “Sham” Trial

Ted Johnson
·3 min read
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UPDATED: House Speaker Mike Johnson is the latest figure to lend his support to Donald Trump and his claim that the New York hush money trial is a “sham.”

Johnson was in the background as Trump made his regular morning statement to the press in the hallway just outside the courtroom, and the speaker nodded at the former president as he made his way in.

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Also joining Trump were other supporters, including Vivek Ramaswamy, Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum. Ramaswamy and Burgum are among a number of vice presidential contenders to visit the courthouse to show their fealty to Trump, on trial for allegedly falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.

In sharp contrast to the start of the proceedings, when it was just Trump and his legal team, he has lately been joined by a gallery of political backers and aides, as well as his son Eric. That has underscored the extent to which Trump has sought to dismiss the case as a political attack against him, as well as to campaign from the courthouse hallway.

This morning, Trump spoke about China and tariffs, while touting recent favorable poll numbers.

He also was asked whether he was directing his surrogates to speak on his behalf.

“I do have a lot of surrogates and they are speaking very beautifully,” Trump said. “They come from all over Washington, and they’re highly respected and they think this is the biggest scam they’ve ever seen.”

Trump has been under a partial gag order that restricts him from commenting on witnesses and potential witnesses, as well as courtroom staff, much of the prosecution team and the judge’s family, as well as the jury. But that has not stopped his backers from doing so. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), another VP hopeful, attended on Monday, and then, speaking to reporters, blasted the credibility of Michael Cohen, who took the stand as one of the prosecution’s star witnesses.

Trump has missed few opportunities to attack the judge, Juan Merchan, who is not covered by the gag order.

Johnson did not stay for the day’s proceedings and instead spoke to the press outside the courthouse this morning, where he called it a “sham of a trial.” “They are doing this intentionally to keep him here, to keep him off of the campaign trail.” He later out out a fundraising appeal headlined “Live from President Trump’s trial!”

The speaker also echoed Trump’s claim that Special Counsel Jack Smith’s federal indictments of the former president were “election interference,” while suggesting that he would work with other Republicans to “rein in” the federal prosecutor. His comments were an all out attack on the federal and state justice systems, avoiding mention of recent instances where Democrats, like Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), also have been prosecuted.

Johnson’s appearance at the courthouse did draw the attention of one of Trump’s Republican detractors, former Rep. Liz Cheney.

She wrote on X/Twitter this morning, “Have to admit I’m surprised that @SpeakerJohnson wants to be in the ‘I cheated on my wife with a porn star’ club. I guess he’s not that concerned with teaching morality to our young people after all.”

Sean Piccoli contributed to this report.

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