Mike Johnson and Vivek Ramaswamy: Republicans flock to court to show they stand with Trump - BBC News

Speaker Mike Johnson's appearance reflects how the fate of the ex-president and his party are intertwined.

21 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIndictments of Donald TrumpImage source, ReutersImage caption, Speaker Mike Johnson (left), former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy (centre) and Congressman Cory Mills at the trial on Tuesday

When Donald Trump's criminal trial began, his courtroom entourage consisted of a gaggle of lawyers and campaign aides. This week, it's started to look more like a preview of July's Republican National Convention.

With Michael Cohen, Mr Trump's former lawyer and pivotal witness for the prosecution, on the stand, the number of prominent Republican officeholders in attendance has expanded dramatically.

On Tuesday, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson - the top Republican in the US - met the former president at the courthouse in Manhattan, greeting him with a smile and a nod. Then, while the hush-money trial was still ongoing, he gave a brief statement to the press outside.

"I am disgusted by what is happening here," he said, "what is being done to our entire system of justice."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-69011216

---