Senate Republicans to Meet with Trump 2 Weeks After Verdict

Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Senate Republicans on Thursday, just two weeks after being convicted on 34 charges in his New York criminal trial. GOP senators have been increasingly showing their support for him.

The invitation to the meeting was extended by Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the chairman of the GOP conference, and Trump has confirmed his attendance. The meeting will take place in a location away from the Capitol, as is customary for campaign-related events.

This gathering will mark Trump’s first meeting with the GOP conference since his presidency and since the Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021. The meeting was initially reported by NBC News.

Several senators who had criticized Trump post-attack are now backing his potential run for the presidency, including Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and other Senate leaders.

Following the May 31 verdict, the GOP Senate conference showed unanimous support for Trump, with many of them echoing his criticisms of the judge and jury. Trump became the first former U.S. president to be convicted of felony crimes after a New York jury found him guilty on all charges related to a scheme to influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor.

Rather than distancing themselves, Republicans have rallied around Trump, hoping to convince voters that the New York court’s verdict was politically motivated. Some senators even attended the trial in solidarity with Trump.

It is anticipated that Trump will appeal the recent conviction on all 34 charges, with sentencing scheduled for July 11.