Sen. Mitch McConnell's GOP allies were mum recently when asked whether they would support Donald Trump should the former president be found guilty in his Manhattan hush money trial.
"Whatever happens in this politically motivated trial isn't changing anyone's mind, myself included," Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., tells Newsmax. "We are working with President Trump and his team to put an end to the dangerous Biden-Schumer agenda."
"We're still dealing with the policy issues here at the end of the day," added Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla.
"We're still dealing with what's best for our economy, how do we deal with immigration, and all the policy issues."
When pressed by reporter Manu Raju about "character and being a convicted felon" should Trump be found guilty, Lankford responded: "I've said often that I want to be able to have people that are role models and leaders and all those things as well. For me, the policy issues are going to matter significantly."
Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., told the news outlet he wouldn't be surprised if Trump was convicted.
"That's probably going to happen but that's going to most likely get thrown out. These charges, frankly, you're talking about election interference and that's what's going on in that New York courtroom."
Many GOP lawmakers have called the charges in the case bogus, including Sens. Rick Scott of Florida, Tim Scott of South Carolina, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, and J.D. Vance of Ohio; Reps. Cory Mills, Byron Donalds, Anna Paulina Luna, Michael Waltz, and Matt Gaetz of Florida; Eli Crane and Andy Biggs of Arizona; Bob Good of Virginia; Ralph Norman of South Carolina; Lauren Boebert of Colorado; Diana Harshbarger and Andy Ogles of Tennessee; Nicole Malliotakis of New York; Michael Cloud of Texas; and Gov. Doug Burgum of North Dakota.
Trump's trial moved into a new phase Tuesday, drawing closer to the moment when the jury will begin deciding his fate after testimony concluded without the former president taking the stand in his own defense.
The jury was sent home for a week, until May 28, when closing arguments are expected, but the attorneys returned to the courtroom to discuss how the judge will instruct jurors before deliberations, a sort of road map meant to help them apply the law to the evidence and testimony. The two sides haggled over word choices, legal phrases, and how to describe various campaign-related issues.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.