WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson will join former President Donald Trump in Manhattan on Tuesday for his hush money trial, a person familiar with the matter said.
Johnson, the top Republican in Congress, is the latest and most senior member of the party to appear in proceedings over accusations that Trump tried to cover up payments to adult film stars in the final weeks of the 2016 presidential campaign.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, widely seen as a possible running mate for Trump, will also appear on Tuesday, along with hardline House Republicans Byron Donald and Cory Mills and the former Republican president Candidate Vivek Ramaswame.
Trump has already won the support of several Republicans on Capitol Hill in the form of in-person appearances, including Republican Senator Rick Scott, another potential Trump Vice President J.D. Vance and Tommy Tuberville. .
Vance, Tuberville and House Republican Nicole Malliotakis stood behind Trump in a court hallway on Monday to protest the proceedings, the judge and his November rival, Democratic President Joe Biden .
Outside the court, lawmakers echoed Trump’s theme that prosecutors were politically motivated and attacked the credibility of Trump’s former lawyer and star witness in the case, Michael Cohen.
