Critics within the ranks of former President Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement directed their ire at Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday, following his attendance at Trump’s trial regarding alleged criminal activities involving hush money in New York.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican Representative known for her frequent opposition to Johnson, expressed her discontent via social media platform X (formerly Twitter), suggesting that Johnson should prioritize defunding Jack Smith, the special counsel of the Department of Justice (DOJ), rather than attending Trump’s trial.
“The Speaker of the House should be reallocating resources away from Jack Smith instead of witnessing Pres. Trump’s persecution by a corrupt NY DA in a courtroom weaponized for political ends. It’s disheartening,” Greene posted on X.
Smith spearheads the DOJ’s investigation into Trump’s purported interference in the election. Last August, Trump faced indictment on four counts related to these allegations, including claims of seeking to overturn the 2020 election results leading up to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Johnson’s presence at Trump’s trial in Manhattan pertained to a distinct legal matter. Trump, widely considered the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee, stands as the first former U.S. president to face trial in a criminal case. In March 2023, he was indicted for falsifying business records linked to hush money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign. Trump has denied Daniels’ allegations of an affair, pleading not guilty to all charges and attributing the legal actions against him to political motives.
Delivering supportive remarks outside the courtroom, Johnson emphasized his friendship with Trump and his intention to stand in solidarity with him amidst what he deemed a flawed legal process.
“President Trump is a friend, and I’m here to offer my support,” Johnson asserted. “I’m speaking to you outside because the court has restricted our speech within its premises, highlighting one of the many injustices here.”
Labeling the trial a “sham” orchestrated to hinder Trump’s political activities, Johnson, himself an attorney, expressed his disdain for the proceedings and the broader justice system.
“The allegations against President Trump relate to business record falsification,” Johnson clarified. “But it’s evident he’s not directly involved in managing his company’s financial records. President Trump is innocent of these charges.”
Johnson’s presence at the trial followed a recent attempt by Greene to oust him from his position, underscoring internal divisions within the GOP. Additionally, criticism from MAGA loyalists, including responses from Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast CFO Grace Chong, underscored the contentious nature of Johnson’s attendance.
Former Republican representative Liz Cheney also weighed in, criticizing Johnson’s attendance at the trial from a moral standpoint, suggesting it contradicted his professed religious beliefs.
These developments unfolded amidst a backdrop of legal battles for Trump, including federal charges related to retaining classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate and allegations of election interference in Georgia. Throughout, Trump has maintained his innocence, attributing the charges against him to political motivations.