In a brief press conference held outside the Manhattan courthouse where former President Donald Trump’s New York trial is ongoing, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) strongly criticized the proceedings, denouncing them as a “travesty of justice” on Tuesday, May 14.
Mr. Johnson, a former litigator and the current highest-ranking Republican, expressed his outrage at the legal proceedings and their broader implications for the American judicial system. He asserted that he called President Trump personally to convey his desire to be present at the trial in person.
“I am disgusted by what is happening here—what is being done here to our entire system of justice overall,” Mr. Johnson declared. “I wanted to be here myself to call out what is a travesty of justice, and I think everybody around the country can see that. President Trump is a friend, and I wanted to be here to support him.”
The press conference was conducted outside the courthouse, with Mr. Johnson highlighting that statements were not permitted inside the building. “That’s just one of the many things that are wrong here,” he added.
Mr. Johnson condemned the trial, now in its fifth week, as a deliberate effort to impede President Trump’s 2024 campaign efforts.
“They are doing this intentionally to keep him here and keep him off the campaign trail, and I think everybody in the country can see that for what it is,” he asserted.
The speaker did not hold back in his criticism of the key figures involved in the trial, accusing them of displaying blatant partisanship.
“What we’ve got here is a partisan Democrat district attorney, we have a Biden donor judge, and we have an assistant DA who was recently a top official at the Department of Justice, Biden’s DOJ, and recently received over $10,000 in payments from the Democratic National Committee,” he stated.
Mr. Johnson reiterated his commitment to supporting President Trump and fighting what he described as politically motivated trials.
