Follow the live broadcast Trump’s hush money trial In Manhattan.
Much has changed in the Republican Party since Donald J. Trump last spent this much time in Trump Tower.
Trump, who was stuck in New York City four days a week during his criminal trial, is now back in the same 66th-floor penthouse suite where he weathered a number of scandals during his 2016 presidential campaign.
At the time, Trump was the Republican nominee but remained an outsider to the party. After an “Access Hollywood” video leaked in October 2016 in which he was heard bragging about grabbing women’s genitals, he spent the weekend watching over defectors at Trump Tower. His candidacy was questioned throughout the Republican Party, including canceled events and a public rebuke from the man he had chosen to be his vice president.
What a difference seven and a half years makes!
On Monday, Mr. Trump’s running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, traveled to New York to show solidarity with his party’s presumptive nominee. Mr. Vance began his day at Trump Tower and then entered the courtroom, where portions of the “Access Hollywood” episode were retold and secret recordings were made of Mr. Trump discussing the payoff for burying damaging stories. Streamed.
Mr. Vance was joined by Alabama’s U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, as well as Alabama’s attorney general, Iowa’s attorney general and the Republican congressman from Staten Island.
On Tuesday, as the prosecution’s key witness, Michael D. Cohen, was expected to be cross-examined, the House speaker rode in Trump’s motorcade along with two other politicians accused of wrongdoing. I was heading to the court. -The presidential sweepstakes includes North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and Florida Rep. Byron Donald, as well as Vivek Ramaswamy, who unsuccessfully ran as a pro-Trump candidate in the 2024 primary.
“There are a lot of great people here that I want to talk to you about,” Trump said Tuesday before entering the courtroom, adding that he has the nickname “Icebox.”
The warm embrace signaled how far Trump’s legal troubles have taken him from becoming a party pariah. Rather, the trial over hush-money payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels has become a stage for would-be politicians to prove their loyalty, and increasingly loyal to Trump. It has become the latest litmus test for political parties.
“What’s happening in that courtroom is a threat to American democracy,” Vance said Monday at a news conference outside the Lower Manhattan courthouse, where Trump was explicitly barred from attending the courtroom. he declared, attacking some people, including the judge’s daughter. I’m speaking under a gag order.
This was a theme that emerged from many of Trump’s guests. They traveled to New York to amplify the former president’s talking points and dig into things Trump is prohibited from talking about.
Other political allies who went to court include Growth, which directed millions of dollars to be spent against Trump in 2023 but has since continued to work to get back in Trump’s good graces. This includes club president David McIntosh. and Florida Sen. Rick Scott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Trump has at times said he wants to show support on the streets outside of the trial, and his son Eric attended the trial itself, along with a string of aides. Trump administration officials said the campaign had not invited politicians to parade and that allies were volunteering their time.
“They chose to appear,” Trump said as he left the courthouse on Monday. “They consider this a scam.”
Eight years ago, there was a strong “Never Trump” movement within the party to reject Trump’s nomination. There has been little serious discussion within the Republican Party this year about replacing Trump as a priority even if he is found guilty before the party’s summer convention.
Trump hasn’t changed since 2016. The party has also changed.
In 2016, Paul D. Ryan served as Speaker of the House. He was heartbroken and publicly a reluctant Trump supporter. Just last week, Ryan said he would not vote for Trump this year. “Character is very important to me,” he said.
In 2024, Mike Johnson will become Speaker of the House. He happily supports Trump publicly. Just last week, Mr. Johnson held a press conference at the Capitol to highlight one of Mr. Trump’s political obsessions: preventing illegal immigrants from voting. One of Trump’s lightning rods, former adviser Stephen Miller, was a close aide.
Although Mr. Trump now has Republican critics, they are increasingly comprised of former Republicans, and they provide commentary on CNN as often as they do in the hallways of Congress.
It is true that Mr. Trump has worked to cleanse the party. He has celebrated the defeats of those he views as disloyal Republicans, including those who lost their seats to Democrats.
“I don’t know whether to be happy or sad, but I feel like it’s OK,” Trump said the day after the 2018 midterm elections, naming several Republicans who lost while Democrats were in power. Told. room.
“Mia Love never gave me any love,” Trump said of former Utah congressman Mia Love, who was recently defeated by a Democrat. “And she lost. Too bad. I’m sorry, Mia.”
In the 2022 midterm elections, he sought to expel all 10 House Republicans who voted for impeachment for their actions before and during the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. Only two of the 10 candidates remained by the end of the election — and, not coincidentally, both were in states where the top two advance to the general election, rather than in closed Republican primaries.
After touring the courtroom on Monday, Vance, who won the 2022 Senate primary with Trump’s support, wrote in a post on ” he said. Mr. Trump.
The former president was seen leaving the venue holding news clippings of his comments on the trial and appeared to be grateful for words of support from his supporters. But he had other ideas about how they could help him.
“There are a lot of people who want to come,” Trump said Monday. “I say just stop and put more laws in place to stop things like this.”
Maggie Haberman Contributed to the report.
