Former President Donald Trump’s political allies, many of whom may be vying for future positions with him, have begun attending his criminal trial in New York as it enters its fourth week, highlighting how Trump has tried to make New York his electoral campaign. reasons following his required appearance in court.
On Tuesday, Trump’s former Republican challenger and now staunch supporter, Vivek Ramaswamy, is expected to appear in court with him, according to his spokesperson. His appearance follows appearances by Republican Senators JD Vance and Tommy Tuberville, New York Republican Representative Nicole Malliotakis and the state’s Republican attorneys general – Steve Marshall of Alabama and Brenna Bird of Iowa – on Monday . Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott accompanied Trump to court last week.
Those who appeared with Trump highlighted the silence imposed on the former president, which prevents him from speaking about potential witnesses, jurors, prosecutors or court personnel and their families.
Trump has already been found to have violated the silence order 10 times, and now that Judge Juan Merchan is threatening Trump with potential prison time if he violates the order again, lawmakers in court have started launching attacks in his place.
On Monday, Vance, who is considered a contender to become Trump’s vice president, attempted to discredit Michael Cohen, Trump’s former fixer, who testified Monday.
“This guy is a convicted felon,” Vance said of Cohen outside the Manhattan courthouse. “Does a reasonable, sane person believe everything Michael Cohen says?”
“What the president cannot say, which is a shame, is that every single person involved in these lawsuits is virtually a Democratic political operative,” he continued.
Politicians’ statements began to echo Trump’s previous statements and talking points. The former president had previously shared several posts attacking Judge Merchan’s daughter, who is a digital advertising consultant to Democratic clients, before prosecutors sought and received an expanded silence to include family members.
Those appearances were also a show of loyalty as Trump went through a long list of potential candidates with no intention of choosing a vice presidential nominee in the near future, he said in April.
“Well, I’m not in a hurry and we’ll do it around the convention, but we have a lot of great people in the Republican Party,” Trump said in an interview with ABC affiliate WPVI in April when asked on a potential vice-presidential candidate.
The surrogates were able to use their visits to New York to make media appearances to reiterate Trump’s political and legal messages as he remains stuck in court. At the same time, it gives them a chance to prove themselves as potential vice presidential candidates.
Vice presidential candidates also appeared alongside Trump at the limited campaign events he held on his days off from the court. They have also been special guests at many fundraisers.
Last weekend, while rallying in Wildwood, New Jersey, Trump teased “something” with North Dakota Republican Gov. Doug Burgum, who endorsed Trump after shelving his own candidacy for the presidential election at the end of last year. Burgum was also a guest speaker this weekend.
“He made his money in technology, but he probably knows more about energy than anyone I know, so get ready for something,” Trump said. “OK, get ready. But Doug Burgum was incredible.”
In fundraising emails in recent weeks, the Trump campaign asked his supporters who they wanted to see as his running mate, while collecting small donations out of curiosity about who it would be — even though the former Le The president himself has repeatedly said he does not plan to make his announcement until after the Republican National Convention this summer.
Now, in the coming weeks, many of his vice presidential candidates will also join him at his campaign fundraisers as he courts wealthy donors during his absence from the trial.
On Tuesday, Republican Senators Tim Scott and Marco Rubio, along with GOP Govs. Burgum and Kristi Noem of South Dakota are expected to join Trump at a high-profile fundraiser in Manhattan, hosted by billionaire financier Howard Lutnick.
Other major Republican donors and fundraisers are co-hosts, including former Trump ambassadors Duke Buchan and Woody Johnson, Seryl and Charles Kushner, billionaire John Paulson, who hosted the Palm Beach fundraiser last month where Trump raised $50 billion, and John Catsimatidis, the owner of WABC. who allegedly canceled Rudy Giuliani’s radio show due to false election claims.
On Wednesday, a day off from the trial, Vance will join Trump again, this time at a fundraising luncheon in Cincinnati, Ohio. Later in the day, Trump flies to Lexington, Kentucky, for another fundraising dinner, hosted by Joe Craft and former Ambassador Kelly Craft.
On Thursday, Trump is scheduled to spend the day in court, but on Friday, May 17 – the day he had a day off from court to attend his son Barron Trump’s graduation – Trump is expected to headline ‘a fundraiser in Minnesota for the state Republican Party’s Lincoln Reagan Dinner.
The fundraisers come as Trump has repeatedly complained publicly that his trial is preventing him from traveling to battleground states. However, Trump has spent most of his days out of court attending closed-door meetings, having held only three campaign rallies since his trial began, two of which took place on the same day.
ABC News’ Hannah Demissie, Kelsey Walsh and Kendall Ross contributed to this report.
News Source : abcnews.go.com
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