U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson strongly criticized the legal case against Donald Trump on Tuesday, calling it an unjust “sham.” He made a significant move by becoming the highest-ranking Republican to attend court, endorsing Trump’s claims of being politically targeted and criticizing the American justice system.
In a rare moment in American politics, Johnson, who holds the second-highest position in the presidency line, accused the court system of being “corrupt.” Standing outside the New York courthouse, he denounced what he described as a “ridiculous prosecution” that he believes is driven by politics rather than justice.
Johnson is leading a growing number of Republican lawmakers who are publicly criticizing the U.S. judicial process as they rally behind Trump, appearing at the courthouse to support the former president, who faces allegations of arranging secret payments to a porn actress to suppress negative stories during his 2016 presidential campaign.
Mike Jhonson (Via Donald Tse/Shutterstock)
With Trump restricted by a judge’s order from speaking critically about witnesses or aspects of the case, Johnson and other lawmakers are using the trial as a platform to challenge the proceedings, now in their fourth week of witness testimony. They are also using it as an opportunity to boost Trump’s political prospects as he eyes a return to the White House.
By portraying the case against Trump as politically motivated, Republicans are preparing to downplay its significance in the event of a conviction by the jury and are setting the stage for potential challenges in the upcoming election against President Joe Biden.
Johnson played a key role in Trump’s efforts to contest the 2020 election results before the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
