Speaker Johnson rails against Trump trial outside NY courthouse

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) railed against former President Trump’s hush money trial in remarks outside the Manhattan courthouse Tuesday, becoming the highest-ranking lawmaker to visit Trump in New York amid the ongoing legal proceedings.

Johnson — who appeared alongside Trump in the courthouse hallway before delivering a statement outside — slammed the case against the former president as “election interference,” arguing prosecutors are trying to keep him off the campaign trail amid his race against President Biden.

“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,” Johnson 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.

GOP lawmakers have been flocking to the former president’s side as he remains stuck inside the Manhattan courtroom for the duration of the hush money trial, which takes up most of the week. Reps. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) and Cory Mills (R-Fla.) were also seen alongside Trump at the courthouse Tuesday.