In the wake of Donald Trump’s historic guilty verdict, Republicans in Congress have displayed unwavering support for the former president, aligning themselves with his strategy of attacking the U.S. justice system. This solidarity is part of a broader effort to regain the White House, with almost no Republican officials suggesting that Trump should not be the party’s candidate for the November election. Instead, they have hastened his nomination and refrained from defending the legitimacy of the New York state court or the jurors who rendered the verdict in the hush money case.
Prominent Republicans who have doubted Trump’s innocence or political viability, such as former national security adviser John Bolton and Senate candidate Larry Hogan, have faced immediate backlash and pressure to leave the party. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has voiced her unwavering support for Trump, regardless of his legal status, symbolically posting an upside-down American flag, resonating with the “Stop the Steal” movement initiated by Trump before the January 6th Capitol attack.
The rapid and intense commitment to Trump, despite his conviction, underscores how deeply Republican leaders have internalized his claims of a “rigged” system and government conspiracies. This alignment not only disregards Trump’s authoritarian rhetoric but also positions Republican lawmakers to potentially undermine longstanding faith in U.S. governance should Trump regain power.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan has already demanded that prosecutors appear for a hearing on the “weaponization of the federal government” and the “unprecedented political prosecution” of Trump, despite President Biden’s lack of authority over state courts. Yale professor and author Jason Stanley warns that Trump’s intentions to target political opponents using state power should be taken seriously, reflecting historical patterns of authoritarianism.
At Trump Tower, Trump continued his attacks, calling President Biden “corrupt” and labeling the U.S. a “fascist” nation. He referred to members of the House committee investigating the January 6th attack as “thugs” and described Biden as a “Manchurian candidate.” A Trump campaign memo suggested Republican lawmakers use terms like “sham,” “hoax,” and “witch hunt” to describe the case against Trump, framing it as politically motivated by Biden.
Despite Trump’s claims, Biden has no such charges against him, and efforts to impeach him over his son Hunter Biden’s business dealings have stalled. Biden criticized those labeling the system as “rigged,” calling such statements reckless and irresponsible. When asked if he could face similar legal issues, Biden affirmed his innocence and the functionality of the system.
Trump was found guilty of trying to influence the 2016 election through hush money payments to a porn actor, marking one of four felony indictments he faces. Despite these legal challenges, Republicans in Congress remain vocal in their support for Trump. Speaker Mike Johnson echoed claims of Democratic interference and suggested Supreme Court intervention. Senate Republicans, including Mitch McConnell, John Thune, John Cornyn, Rick Scott, and Susan Collins, defended Trump, criticizing the judicial system and the prosecution.
With sentencing in the hush money case expected in July before the Republican National Convention, Representative Chip Roy suggested expediting Trump’s nomination. Republican judicial advocate Mike Davis and Senator Mike Lee called for accountability against those they believe politicized the judicial system, further solidifying their support for Trump and signaling potential legislative actions.
