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On Monday, President Trump was joined by a lineup of America First allies during the beginning of his fourth week on trial in a Manhattan criminal court, and on Tuesday, friends and family showed up in full force to hammer one point home: President Trump is not alone in New York.
On Tuesday morning, the president was joined in court by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., Florida Reps. Byron Donalds and Cory Mills (R), and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R). The president’s son, Eric Trump, and daughter-in-law Lara Trump, who co-chairs the Republican National Committee, were also present. Former Republican presidential candidate and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy was also present at court on Monday.
Speaker Johnson has consistently gone to bat for President Trump during the ongoing lawfare taking place in an election year. So, it is no surprise that the Republican House leader would make his way to NYC to show strong support for the 2024 Republican presidential nominee.
President Trump addressed the media before entering the courtroom this morning, telling the press that the “gag order has to come off.” Due to an expansive gag order issued by Judge Juan Merchan earlier this year, Trump is barred from speaking about prosecutors, witnesses, jurors, court staff, and any family members related to the court staff.
This has prevented the president from sharing his thoughts about the details of the “hush money” trial proceedings over the past several weeks. Therefore, the appearance of strong America First allies like Speaker Johnson and Gov. Burgum is even more impactful because they are able to defend Trump without the looming threat of a gag order.
Ahead of his appearance on Tuesday morning, Vivek Ramaswamy wrote on X, “This sham trial is a politically motivated assault on the leading candidate for U.S. President, green lit by his political opponent, Joe Biden, and carried out at the highest levels of the White House and Department of Justice.”
On Monday, Trump was joined by Republican Sens. J.D. Vance (Ohio), Tommy Tuberville (Ala.), Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, and New York Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R).