Leaders of the Republican Party endorse Trump and criticize verdict

Leaders of the Republican Party close ranks with Trump and lash out against the verdict This Thursday, prominent figures of the Republican Party closed ranks with former President of the United States, Donald Trump, and lashed out against the jury verdict that found him guilty of falsifying business records to silence a sexual relationship with porn actress Stormy Daniels. The reaction of Republican leaders was swift, showing strong support for Trump and harsh criticism towards what they consider the political use of the judicial system by the Joe Biden administration. Among the first to react was House of Representatives President Mike Johnson, a staunch ally of Trump. Johnson expressed on social media that he considers "today a shameful day in the history of the United States." He also accused Biden of using the judicial system as a weapon against Trump, stating that Democrats have no limits to silence dissent. Florida Senator Marco Rubio also spoke out, calling the verdict a mockery of the American judicial system and denouncing a supposed political show. Rubio suggested that the judge in charge of the case had political affiliations with Biden, which, according to him, shows the Democratic side's willingness to stay in power at all costs. Another Republican leader who joined the criticism was Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who stated that the verdict is the result of a legal process influenced by political motives. DeSantis opined that if the accused were not Donald Trump, the case would never have been brought, thus insinuating unequal treatment by the justice system. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, an ally of Trump, also rejected the jury's decision, calling the trial a farce and urging support for the former president in the upcoming elections. Abbott stated that Americans deserve better than a president who uses the judicial system to pursue an opponent, advocating for firing Joe Biden in November. Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, known for her radical stance within the party, took to social media by displaying the American flag upside down in protest of the jury's verdict. Meanwhile, legislator J.D. Vance, who has also been mentioned as a possible running mate for Trump, described the decision as a disgrace to the rule of law and the country's Constitution, arguing that what happened cannot be considered justice but rather electoral interference. Former President Donald Trump faced 34 charges of serious crimes of falsifying business records in relation to the payment to Stormy Daniels to silence the alleged sexual relationship. This trial made him the first former president to be convicted in a criminal trial in the history of the United States and the first candidate from a major party to run for the presidency while being declared a criminal. The reaction of Republican leaders to this verdict reflects the political division and polarization that remains present in American society. While some criticize the partisan use of the judicial system, others see Trump's conviction as an act of justice. The controversy surrounding this case seems far from over and will continue to generate debate in the country's political sphere in the coming months.