As details of Donald Trump’s federal indictment trickle out, some lawmakers have been quick to comment while others have remained silent.
Trump was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury on charges related to the hundreds of classified documents seized from his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, which the former president confirmed in a Truth Social post.
Following the news of Trump’s indictment, Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Josh Hawley, R-Mo., both members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, quickly criticized the indictment, lambasting the Justice Department for the charges while Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., another member of the committee, commented with a brief tweet Thursday, stating that “no one is above the law.”
Several prominent lawmakers, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., an ally of the former president, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, have not commented.
Here’s what lawmakers have said so far:
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas
Cruz called the indictment an “assault on democracy” during the Friday episode of his podcast, “Verdict with Ted Cruz.”
“I have to say today is a very sad day in American history. It is a shameful day in American history. It is a disgraceful day in American history,” Cruz said.
The Texas lawmaker also criticized Attorney General Merrick Garland, stating he will go down “in disgrace as the most partisan and political attorney general in our nation’s history.”
Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del.
Sen. Chris Coons, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said in a statement Friday that “no one is above the law.”
“And these federal charges arising from an investigation led by an independent special counsel remind us of that bedrock principle,” said Coons. “As with anybody facing criminal charges, the former president is entitled to the presumption of innocence, the opportunity to defend himself, and appropriate due process.”
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.
The Minnesota Democrat kept her comments brief, simply tweeting Thursday “On Trump indictment: Obstruction. Conspiracy. Facts matter. And no one is above the law.”
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo.
Hawley denounced the charges against Trump while also attacking Garland during an interview Thursday night with FOX News.
“This is not about Donald Trump ultimately; this is about the United States of America,” Hawley said. “This is about whether the Constitution is still real in this country. This is about whether any American, any American can expect the due process of law.”
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah
Sen. Mitt Romney struck a different tone from some of his Republican colleagues, not holding back in one of the sharpest Republican responses to the news of Trump’s indictment.
“Mr. Trump brought these charges upon himself by not only taking classified documents, but by refusing to simply return them when given numerous opportunities to do so,” Romney said in a statement Friday.
“These allegations are serious and if proven, would be consistent with his other actions offensive to the national interest, such as withholding defensive weapons from Ukraine for political reasons and failing to defend the Capitol from violent attack and insurrection,” he added.
Unlike Cruz and Hawley, the Utah Republican did not go after the Justice Department or Garland, instead saying the Justice Department appears to have exercised “due care” in investigating and charging Trump.
Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo.
Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the chair of the Senate Republican Conference, said in a Friday statement that the indictment “looks like an unequal application of justice,” noting that despite the classified materials found at Biden’s home, Biden faces no indictment.
“You can’t help but ask why this is happening,” Barrasso added. “It feels political, and it’s rotten.”
Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas
Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall also spoke out Thursday night following news of Trump’s indictment, stating that “every American should be alarmed by tonight’s indictment.”
“President Trump warned us about the unprecedented abuse of power within the FBI/DOJ – it seems they will do anything to stop him once and for all,” Marshall said in the statement posted to Twitter.
