Trump allies flock to New York to say what he can't

With Donald Trump barred from publicly commenting on witness testimony in his hush money trial, he’s letting his Republican friends do the talking — and attacking — for him.

On Monday, former Trump attorney Michael Cohen faced ridicule from Trump’s entourage visiting the courthouse, including GOP Sens. J.D. Vance of Ohio and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, as the prosecution's star witness had his first day on the stand.

“This guy is a convicted felon who admitted in his testimony that he secretly recorded his former employer, that he only did it once allegedly, and that this was supposed to help Donald Trump,” Vance told reporters outside the courthouse. “Does any reasonable, sensible person believe anything that Michael Cohen says?”

Cohen, Trump’s former fixer-turned-foe, is at the center of the trial as the person who prosecutors hope will directly tie the former president to the $130,000 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.

Under the gag order imposed by Justice Juan Merchan in March, Trump cannot publicly comment on witnesses, jurors and others in the case, though he is not prohibited from criticizing the judge or prosecutors. Merchan held Trump in contempt of court for violating a gag order for the 10th time last week and warned that future violations could bring jail time. The former president at times has been visibly angry during testimony from Daniels and Cohen, including huffing, rolling his eyes and shaking his head. But Trump hasn't directly violated the gag order since the judge threatened jail time.

While disparaging Cohen, Trump’s surrogates said they were at the courthouse as friends supporting the president. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall were also on hand.

“We got a courtroom, this most depressing thing I’ve ever been in,” Tuberville said. “Mental anguish is trying to be pushed on the Republican candidate for the president of the United States.”

On Tuesday, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who competed for the GOP presidential nomination before dropping out of the contest, is set to attend court with Trump, a spokesperson for him told POLITICO.

The support from members of Congress comes after the former president largely attended the trial alone, without family or allies, for the first two weeks. Trump complained at the start of the trial that there were no supporters outside, blaming it on security around the court complex.

Last week, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) became the first member of Congress to make a personal appearance in defense of his friend and fellow Florida Republican as Daniels testified in court.

“I’m here because I have known Donald Trump a long time,” Scott said Thursday. He also told POLITICO that he was invited to the trial by Susie Wiles, Trump's senior campaign adviser. “I knew him before I was governor. I consider him a friend. And what he is going through is just despicable.”

Emily Ngo and Natalie Allison contributed to this report.