Senator Mitt Romney, R-Utah, described the procession of GOP leaders outside the New York City courthouse where former President Donald Trump is on trial as “a little embarrassing” on Wednesday.
“I think it’s somewhat demeaning to appear in front of a courthouse, especially one dealing with allegations of paying a porn star,” Romney told reporters before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee meeting in Washington.
Trump is on trial for allegedly falsifying business records to conceal a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election.
Over the past week, several top GOP leaders, many of whom are on Trump’s shortlist for vice president, have appeared with him outside the courthouse to support his claims that the trial is political “persecution.” These leaders include Senators Rick Scott, R-Fla., and J.D. Vance, R-Ohio; Representative Byron Donalds, R-Fla.; House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.; North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum; and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
Romney criticized these courthouse visits, saying, “It is very difficult to watch. There is a level of dignity and decorum that you expect from people running for the highest office in the land, and going out and prostrating themselves publicly to curry favor with our nominee is a little embarrassing.”
The courthouse appearances have become a litmus test for Republicans seeking to demonstrate their loyalty to Trump as he searches for a running mate and rallies the party ahead of the November election.
On Tuesday, Johnson alleged that officials were using the trial to hinder Trump’s reelection campaign, despite there being no evidence that prosecutors or court officials are targeting Trump’s White House bid.
“This is the fifth week that President Trump has been in court for this sham of a trial,” Johnson said outside the courthouse.
