Republicans in Washington launched a vigorous defense of Donald Trump on Friday after the president-elect won an unconditional release in his New York hush money case, while Democrats maintained a conspicuous silence on the historic conviction.

House Speaker Mike Johnson called the case “a politically motivated and manufactured witch hunt” specifically aimed at preventing Trump’s return to the White House.

“The judge grossly perverted the American legal system by manipulating existing law in a purely partisan effort to convert a false misdemeanor charge into a felony,” Johnson wrote in a statement, arguing that “both Judge Merchan and The confused prosecutors have caused untold damage to our justice system.

The speaker’s comments came amid a wave of Republican backlash that portrayed the case as a failed attempt at political persecution, even though the verdict technically makes Trump the first U.S. president to be criminally convicted.

“This legal battle against President Trump is toxic to our republic and a monumental setback to the American court system,” wrote Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn in one of several posts.

Like many of her colleagues, she focused on lawmakers’ political motivations for law enforcement. “The radical left will never stop trying to take down President Trump,” she wrote. “Their goal from the beginning was to brand Trump as a convicted felon.”

The resolution of the case – which allows Trump to take office on January 20 despite his conviction on 34 counts – sparked particularly harsh criticism of the resources invested in law enforcement. “What a pathetic waste of taxpayer dollars that should be used for the actual crimes that are harming New Yorkers,” wrote Tennessee Sen. Bill Hagerty, dismissing the proceedings as “a political campaign ploy.”

The unified Republican response stands in stark contrast to the silence from Democratic circles and marks a significant departure from previous Trump-related legal developments. This potentially signals a shift as the party wrestles with how to approach Trump’s impending return to the White House while carrying the status of a convicted felon.

Trump himself maintained his defiance, releasing a lengthy statement on Truth Social that echoed many of his supporters. “The real jury, the American people, have spoken,” he wrote, pointing to his recent election victory as justification. He vowed to appeal the felony designation, which he called a “sham,” and described the process as “election interference.”

Senate Judiciary Republicans suggested broader institutional damage, writing, “America’s treasured institutions have been harmed in the process. It is time to restore trust in our justice system.” That sentiment was also reinforced by Johnson, who wrote in his statement that ” “Restoring the American people’s trust in our justice system will be critical.”

Some Republicans, such as South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, sought to draw attention to what they said was inconsistent handling of high-profile cases, particularly questioning prosecutors’ priorities relative to other investigations. “The left believes Hunter Biden isn’t guilty but Trump is?!?!?” she wrote on X.

Indiana Representative Rudy Yakym called the conclusion of the case a prelude to political renewal.

“America’s comeback begins in 10 days.”