Former President Donald Trump’s allies have been crowding the New York City courtroom where he is standing trial, vocalizing their support in ways that nearly breach the gag order placed on him.
An onlooker noted Tuesday, May 14, that Trump appears to be orchestrating these statements.
In recent days, prominent political figures such as Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH), House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum have delivered fervent speeches outside the courtroom, after accompanying Trump to the trial.
They have been echoing Trump’s claims of a political witch hunt and criticizing witnesses and Judge Juan Merchant’s family members.
Under the gag order, Trump is barred from discussing witnesses, jurors, court staff, or their families.
This restriction also prohibits him from directing others to speak on his behalf. Nonetheless, these speeches have raised questions about whether the gag order is being indirectly violated.
Andrew Rice from New York Magazine, speaking on MSNBC’s “Alex Wagner Tonight,” on Tuesday night, May 14, reported seeing Trump editing the statements of his allies before they were made.
“I could see over Trump’s shoulder that he was reading and making notes on the quotes,” Rice said.
“During the testimony, while Michael Cohen was testifying against him, Trump was annotating and editing the statements that his allies would later deliver,” Rice continued.
This suggests that Trump is heavily involved in shaping the public narrative despite the gag order.
House Speaker Mike Johnson accused the trial of being a tactic to keep Trump off the campaign trail.
He also criticized Judge Juan Merchant’s daughter, who works as a political consultant for Democratic candidates, alleging that she profits from online fundraising for Democrats.
Governor Burgum and Vance made similar remarks, with Burgum describing the gag order as “election interference.” He stated, “Seeing this trial up close reveals it’s actually a scam trial.”
Burgum further remarked, “The only conclusion is that this is election interference, preventing the president from campaigning.”
Former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy also expressed his support for Trump, vowing to stand by him even if he is convicted.
“It’s shameful to see the former leader of the free world in this courtroom,” he said.
Senator J.D. Vance questioned the credibility of Michael Cohen, who is a key witness against Trump. “Does any reasonable person believe anything Michael Cohen says?” he asked.
Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) also disparaged Cohen’s testimony, calling it “an acting scene” and labeling Cohen a “serial liar.”
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 charges of falsifying business records to conceal details of a sexual relationship, which prosecutors argue was intended to influence the outcome of the 2016 election.
