"Trump Is Innocent": Mike Johnson Gives Speech Outside Trump Trial In Manhattan
Update (1215ET): Johnson, Ramaswamy, Doug Burgum, Byron Donalds, Cory Mills, and Eric and Lara Trump all joined Trump today.
🚨Donald Trump is joined in court by Vivek Ramaswamy, Speaker Mike Johnson, Doug Burgum, Byron Donalds, Cory Mills, Eric Trump and Lara Trump:
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) May 14, 2024
“The gag order has to come off— There’s never been anything like this in our country. It’s a scam.” pic.twitter.com/L3506zWhz9
Johnson gave a speech.
"This is the fifth week that President Trump has been in court for this sham of a trial. They are doing this intentionally to keep him here and keep him off of the campaign trail," he said. "And I think everybody in the country can see that for what it is."
"President Trump is innocent of these charges," he later declared.
BREAKING: Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) travels to New York Courtroom to defend Trump, says, it's not about justice, it's all about politics, says, "The crime that they are accusing President Trump of is falsification of business records. But I think everybody knows he… pic.twitter.com/EDF4kkQIhM
— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) May 14, 2024
Johnson told reporters that he went to his "friend" Trump's trial voluntarily.
"I called President Trump and told him I wanted to be here myself to call out what is a travesty of justice. And I think everybody around the country can see that," said Johnson. "President Trump is a friend and I wanted to be here to support him."
"I came here, again, today on my own to support President Trump because I am one of hundreds of millions of people, and one citizen, who is deeply concerned about this," he added.
* * *
Now that Donald Trump's Manhattan 'hush money' trial has revealed itself to be yet another Democrat farce, Republicans are coming out of the woodwork to support him now that it's safe. On Monday, GOP Sens. J.D. Vance of Ohio (a VP hopeful) and Tomy Tuberville of Alabama went to the courthouse.
Now, in a display of loyalty to Trump (and of course, optics), House Speaker Mike Johnson is reportedly expected to attend Trump's trial, according to Axios,
Other names expected to attend are North Dakota Gov. Burgum as well as Vivek Ramaswamy, both Trump VP contenders. The flood of support comes after a former attorney for Stormy Daniels - who claims she had a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump, and was paid $130,000 right before the 2016 election, testified that payments made to her weren't "hush-money," and were instead a "consideration." On Monday, convicted felon and perjurer Michael Cohen, Trump's former fixer, testified that Trump was intimately involved in the scheme.
"Everything required Mr. Trump’s sign-off," Cohen said, adding "What I was doing, I was doing at the direction of and benefit of Mr. Trump."
Johnson's trip comes less than one week after House Democrats helped block an attempt by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) to oust him from office over his successful 'America Last' effort to fund wars in Ukraine and Israel.
Trump, meanwhile, has repeatedly voiced support for Johnson - including during a joint appearance at Mar-a-Lago, after which he urged Republicans to table Greene's motion to vacate.