Here are all of the Republicans who have shown up in court to support Trump at his hush money trial

It began with a trickle, then became a steady stream. And this week a flood of congressional Republicans and other GOP lawmakers traveled to the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse to support former President Donald Trump at his historic hush money trial.

Their public backing of the first American president ever to be tried for a crime serves multiple purposes. For some supporters, it’s to show voters in their home congressional districts that unlike, say, Michael Cohen, they are loyal to Trump.

For others, it’s to show Trump they are worthy of his consideration for a potential future Cabinet position, or even to be his next VP. Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum — all tabbed as potential Trump running mates — have made the trek to lower Manhattan.

And their appearance in front of the microphones outside the courthouse is also effectively a way to circumvent the gag order preventing Trump from attacking witnesses, the jury or Judge Juan Merchan’s family.

Trump was found in contempt of court 10 times by Merchan and fined $10,000 for violating the gag order. And Merchan warned him that any further violations could result in jail time.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, who appeared alongside Vance and other GOP lawmakers at court on Monday, said they spoke at Trump’s trial to “overcome this gag order.”

“That’s one of the reasons we went — is to be able to speak our piece for President Trump,” Tuberville said in an interview with Newsmax after returning from the courthouse.

And Trump, who has complained that security surrounding the courthouse has prevented his fans from turning out for his trial, said he was appreciative of his “surrogates.”

“I do have a lot of surrogates and they are speaking very beautifully and they come from all over Washington and they’re highly respected and they think this is the greatest scam they’ve ever seen,” Trump said before court on Tuesday. “They’re very embarrassed by what’s going on.”

Here is a list of notable people who have shown up at court in support of Trump so far.

Eric and Lara Trump

The president’s middle son and his wife, Lara, have appeared numerous times in his father’s trial entourage. They are the only Trump family members to show up to court so far.

House Speaker Mike Johnson

Johnson, who appeared in court on Tuesday, is the highest-ranking congressional Republican to support Trump at the trial. At a press conference outside the courthouse, the House speaker — who is second in line for the presidency — echoed Trump’s own attacks against the case, claimed it was “election interference” and called the justice system “corrupt.”

Sitting U.S. senators

? Rick Scott (Fla.)
? Tommy Tuberville (Ala.)
? JD Vance (Ohio)

Speaking to reporters outside the courthouse on Monday, Tuberville and Vance took turns attacking the jury and Merchan’s daughter.

Tuberville referred to the jury, which is composed of legal U.S. citizens, as “supposedly American citizens.” Vance claimed Merchan’s daughter is “raising money for Trump’s political opponents.” (Loren Merchan did work for a digital consulting firm that has done work for Democratic campaigns, but it’s unclear whether she is still employed there.)

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum

Burgum, who dropped his short-lived bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, is among those thought to be on Trump’s shortlist for VP.

GOP members of Congress

? Andy Biggs (Ariz.)
? Lauren Boebert (Colo.)
? Michael Cloud (Texas)
? Eli Crane (Ariz.)
? Byron Donalds (Fla.)
? Matt Gaetz (Fla.)
? Bob Good (Va.)
? Diana Harshbarger (Tenn.)
? Cory Mills (Fla.)
? Andy Ogles (Tenn.)
? Ralph Norman (S.C.)
? Anna Paulina Luna (Fla.)
? Mike Waltz (Fla.)

Gaetz posted a photo to X of himself and Ogles watching Trump speak to reporters outside the courtroom, alongside the message: “Standing back and standing by, Mr. President.”

The phrase echoes what Trump infamously said during a 2020 presidential debate while refusing to condemn the Proud Boys, a far-right extremist group.

Speaking to reporters during a morning break, Gaetz called Cohen a liar “who committed these lies for his own benefit” and described the case against Trump as the “Mr. Potato Head of crimes, where they had to stick together a bunch of things that did not belong together.”

Other notable supporters

? Andrew Giuliani
? Ken Paxton, Texas attorney general
? Vivek Ramaswamy, former 2024 Republican presidential candidate
? Jeanine Pirro, Fox News host

Andrew Giuliani, the son of Trump’s former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, has shown up numerous times and has been posting live updates from inside the courtroom to X during the trial.