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Vivek Ramaswamy, the multimillionaire former biotech executive and former presidential candidate, will join former President Donald Trump Tuesday in court.
He will spend the entire day with Trump as the former president’s criminal trial continues, a spokesperson for Ramaswamy confirmed to Fox News Digital.
“The best proof that the Trump trial is a sham: if DJT had done the exact *opposite* of the alleged crime, they’d still be prosecuting him & have an even stronger case,” Ramaswamy said in a statement.
Ramaswamy has long been considered a contender to be Trump’s vice president.
MICHAEL COHEN TESTIFIES HE SECRETLY RECORDED TRUMP IN LEAD-UP TO 2016 ELECTION
Former President Trump speaks to the media at the end of the day during his trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 13, 2024, in New York City. Vivek Ramaswamy will join Trump in court on Tuesday. (Getty Images)
Ramaswamy has criticized the multiple prosecutions against Trump, saying the criminal justice system has been weaponized against him in an effort to prevent him from returning to the White House.
“Every one of these prosecutions… is backfiring,” Ramaswamy said during an April appearance on Fox News’ “Hannity.” “These people are sick and tired of being lied to. They’re sick and tired of the lawfare.”
“I’ve talked to many Democrats who disagree with Donald Trump on many policies but believe we’re not a country where you’re supposed to use prosecutorial power to eliminate your opponents,” he added. 2
Other allies of the former president have attended court proceedings in a show of support. They include U.S. Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis of New York, and attorneys general Steve Marshall of Alabama and Brenna Bird of Iowa.
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., was with Trump in court last week.
Vance is widely considered to be a contender for Trump’s potential running mate. Tuesday would be the second straight day when a potential vice presidential nominee contender shows up in support of Trump.
Sens. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., left and JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrive at a press conference across the street from the Manhattan Criminal Court on Monday in New York. Trump was accompanied to court Monday by some of his top congressional surrogates, including Vance and Tuberville. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)
“The thing that the president is prevented from saying, which is a disgrace, is that every single person involved in this prosecution is practically a Democratic political operative,” Vance said outside the courthouse Monday during a morning break.
The case against Trump revolves around the alleged falsification of business records. Prosecutors alleged Michael Cohen, Trump’s former attorney and fixer, paid adult film actress Stormy Daniels $130,000 to quiet her claims of the alleged extramarital sexual encounter with Trump.
Prosecutors allege the Trump Organization reimbursed Cohen and fraudulently logged the payments as legal expenses, and are working to prove that Trump falsified records with the intent to commit or conceal a second crime.
TRUMP, DEFENDERS SHOW UP IN FORCE AHEAD OF COHEN TESTIMONY
Michael Cohen is questioned by prosecutor Susan Hoffinger during former President Trump’s criminal trial in Manhattan state court in New York City on Monday in this courtroom sketch. (Reuters/Jane Rosenberg)
Trump has pleaded not guilty to the allegations. Daniels took the stand last week, saying she met Trump in 2006 at Lake Tahoe during a celebrity golf tournament. She alleged that the pair had sex in Trump’s hotel room during the event, which Trump has repeatedly denied in public comments.
On Monday, Cohen testified that he secretly recorded the president ahead of the 2016 election regarding a payment to former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker. According to the testimony, Pecker had paid former Playboy model Karen McDougal $150,000 to purchase her story that she had an affair with Trump and to subsequently quiet her claims ahead of the election.
VideoAfter Monday’s court proceedings, Trump criticized Judge Juan Merchan as “highly conflicted” after Cohen’s testimony.
“We have a corrupt judge, and we have a judge who is highly conflicted, and he’skeeping me from campaigning,” he said outside of the courtroom. “He’s an appointed New York judge. He’s appointed. You know who appointed him? Democrat politicians. He’s appointed. He’s a corrupt judge and he’s a conflicted judge. And he ought to let us go out and campaign and get rid of this scam.”
Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
Louis Casiano is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to louis.casiano@fox.com.
