Former President Donald Trump has been indicted on criminal charges in Manhattan, and Republicans across the country are rallying to his defense. From Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, GOP leaders have decried the charges as a “weaponization of the legal system” and accused prosecutors of pursuing a political witch hunt against Trump.
McCarthy targeted Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in a tweet, accusing him of being soft on crime and allowing violent criminals to roam free. Meanwhile, House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan responded with a one-word tweet.
Even members of the Trump family weighed in on social media, with Eric Trump calling it “third world prosecutorial misconduct” while Donald Trump Jr. claimed that his father’s opponents were willing to turn America into a banana republic just to stop him.
Trump himself released a statement declaring that this was an example of “Political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history,” adding that he fully expected this so-called witch hunt would backfire on Democrats.
The indictment is believed to be related to hush money payments made before the 2016 election by Michael Cohen, former lawyer for both Donald Trump and The Trump Organization. The payments were allegedly made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal.
While some celebrities expressed their joy at news of the indictment – including comedian Kathy Griffin, author Stephen King, and Star Trek star George Takei – others offered support for the former president.
The charges remain under seal but sources close to President Trump claim there may be more than 30 counts involved – making him not only the first ex-president ever indicted but also potentially facing one of America’s most serious criminal cases ever seen.