Senate Republican leaders refuse to accompany Johnson to Trump’s Manhattan trial

The Senate’s top Republicans have no plans to visit former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial in New York following an appearance by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA).

For two weeks, a spate of Republicans, from vice presidential hopefuls to rank-and-file lawmakers, have traveled to the Manhattan courthouse to accuse the judge and prosecutors of political bias as Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up an alleged affair.

But the appearance by Johnson quickly raised the question of whether the Senate’s GOP leadership will do the same. On Tuesday, the speaker gathered reporters outside the trial to lay into Michael Cohen, the ex-Trump lawyer testifying against his former boss, and declare the former president innocent of the charges.

It would be a surprise to see Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) travel to New York City. He and Trump have been estranged since the Capitol riot in 2021. But neither of the Republicans angling to succeed him next year have plans to either.

“I don’t,” Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD) said as he emerged from a leadership meeting on Tuesday. “I’ll let the judiciary sort all that out.”

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), an adviser to McConnell, gave a similar answer. “I’m occupied here,” he told the Washington Examiner.

Senate GOP leaders have echoed Johnson’s arguments, calling the case, one of four against Trump, a form of “election interference” as he mounts a third run for president. However, they have generally been slower to embrace him.

All have endorsed his presidential run, but most did so late or after he clinched the Republican nomination.

Even the more conservative members of GOP leadership will forgo the trip. Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), the No. 3 Republican, “wasn’t planning to.” Neither is Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Daines, in particular, has staked his chairmanship on building a strong relationship with the former president. He was the first member of leadership to endorse him a year ago and has coordinated with him closely on which candidates to get behind in Republican primaries.

Daines praised the Republicans who have made the journey but said his job is to help elect a Republican majority next year.

“What’s going on there is outrageous,” Daines said of the prosecution against Trump. “He’s getting incredible support from so many. And while his own election is being interfered with by the Left, I’m out working hard across the country to make sure we give him a Republican Senate majority.”

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), chairwoman of the Republican Policy Committee, said voters in her home state of Iowa view the trial as political but that she would “probably not” travel to New York City.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), the No. 5 Republican in the Senate, was not at the Capitol on Tuesday. A spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

Johnson’s pilgrimage to New York City is his latest display of loyalty to Trump. He made a trip to Mar-a-Lago last month to help tamp down a conservative House rebellion and last week unveiled election integrity legislation alongside members of the former president’s inner circle.

Trump’s unfounded claims of election fraud are central to his third run for president.

Meanwhile, Senate GOP leaders have come to terms with Trump’s continued sway over the party. Thune, who called Trump’s role in the Jan. 6 riot “inexcusable,” endorsed him in February, while Cornyn endorsed him in January despite their similarly cool relationship.

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Trump does have outspoken backers in the Senate. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), who is on Trump’s vice presidential short list, and Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) visited the Manhattan courtroom on Monday. Last Thursday, Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), who is “seriously considering” a run for GOP leader, made the trip.

Spokespeople for the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the New York court system did not respond to requests for comment.