Republicans show widespread support for Trump amid indictment

In the hours since the news broke that former President Donald Trump has been indicted by a New York state grand jury, top Republicans lawmakers took to social media quickly showing their support for the former president.

Trump was indicted Thursday on charges involving payments made during his 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter with porn star Stormy Daniels. More details of the charges are expected to be released next week. With the indictment, Trump becomes the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges.

Trump has denied the sexual encounter, calling the indictment “political persecution” and an attempt to interfere in his presidential campaign.

His fellow Republicans seemed nearly unanimous in declaring the action as a sign of political persecution.

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said “The Democrat Party’s hatred for Donald Trump knows no bounds. The ‘substance’ of this political persecution is utter garbage.

“This is completely unprecedented and is a catastrophic escalation in the weaponization of the justice system.”

The Democrat Party’s hatred for Donald Trump knows no bounds. The “substance” of this political persecution is utter garbage.

This is completely unprecedented and is a catastrophic escalation in the weaponization of the justice system.

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) March 30, 2023

Former Vice President Mike Pence called the charges an “an outrage and appears to millions of Americans to be nothing more than a political prosecution.”

The American people will look at this and see it as one more example of the criminalization of politics in this country.

— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) March 31, 2023

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who many are thinking will become a candidate for president in 2024, said, “The weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda turns the rule of law on its head. It is un-American.”

In addition, DeSantis said he won’t help Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in bringing in Trump for his arraignment, saying “Florida will not assist in an extradition request given the questionable circumstances at issue with this Soros-backed Manhattan prosecutor and his political agenda.”

The weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda turns the rule of law on its head.

It is un-American.

The Soros-backed Manhattan District Attorney has consistently bent the law to downgrade felonies and to excuse criminal misconduct. Yet, now he is…

— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 30, 2023

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy said, “Alvin Bragg has irreparably damaged our country in an attempt to interfere in our Presidential election.

“As he routinely frees violent criminals to terrorize the public, he weaponized our sacred system of justice against President Donald Trump.

“The American people will not tolerate this injustice, and the House of Representatives will hold Alvin Bragg and his unprecedented abuse of power to account.”

Alvin Bragg has irreparably damaged our country in an attempt to interfere in our Presidential election.

As he routinely frees violent criminals to terrorize the public, he weaponized our sacred system of justice against President Donald Trump.

The American people will not…

— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) March 30, 2023

House GOP Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., told Fox News the indictment is “a political witch-hunt and a dark day for America. The radical Far Left will stop at nothing to persecute Joe Biden’s chief political opponent ahead of the 2024 presidential election to suppress the will and voice of the American people.

“Tens of millions of patriotic Americans have never been so energized to exercise their constitutional rights to peacefully organize and VOTE at the ballot box to save our great republic by electing President Donald J. Trump in 2024.”

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, shared a copy of Trump’s statement reacting to the charges and said “I stand with Trump!!!”

I stand with Trump!!! pic.twitter.com/EjbrHSFzzn

— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene???????? (@RepMTG) March 30, 2023

Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley said on Twitter that the grand jury’s action “isn’t about the law. It’s about power. Raw power. It’s the Democrat Party telling the nation they will stop at nothing to control the outcome of the next presidential election. It is an assault on our democracy, pure and simple.”

Tonight’s indictment of Donald Trump isn’t about the law. It’s about power. Raw power. It’s the Democrat Party telling the nation they will stop at nothing to control the outcome of the next presidential election. It is an assault on our democracy, pure and simple

— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) March 30, 2023

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, tweeted simply, “Outrageous.”

Outrageous.

— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) March 30, 2023

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., tweeted “The sham New York indictment of President Donald Trump is one of the clearest examples of extremist Democrats weaponizing government to attack their political opponents.”

The sham New York indictment of President Donald Trump is one of the clearest examples of extremist Democrats weaponizing government to attack their political opponents.

Outrageous.

— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) March 30, 2023

On social media, Florida Rep. Byron Donalds called the indictment a “threat to our Republic by Alvin Bragg and the Democratic Party machine. It’s unfathomable to me that this could happen in America. This is political persecution that must not stand!”

Today’s political indictment of Former President Trump is a dark day in American history and a threat to our Republic by Alvin Bragg and the Democratic Party machine.

It’s unfathomable to me that this could happen in America. This is political persecution that must not stand!

— Byron Donalds (@ByronDonalds) March 30, 2023

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., released a statement saying, “This indictment doesn’t pass the smell test. The Department of Justice already looked into the facts and decided there was no case to be made against President Trump. This is the same District Attorney who is notorious for letting violent criminals off the hook in Manhattan, but has been laser-focused on pursuing a politicized prosecution of a former president. Politics should never tip the scales of justice, and Congress has every right to investigate the conduct and decision-making of the Manhattan D.A.’s office.”

Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., of course had plenty to say in defense of his father, mainly: “The ruling party is trying to jail the opposition leader like a third world dictatorship! It’s happening before your very eyes.”

The ruling party is trying to jail the opposition leader like a third world dictatorship! It’s happening before your very eyes.

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) March 31, 2023

Ohio Sen. JD Vance also issued a statement on the matter, calling it “political persecution masquerading as law. … Bragg’s decision to indict him is blatant election interference and a direct assault on the tens of millions of Americans who support him.”

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