Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial nears its conclusion.

High profile Republican supporters continue to make appearances to the New York City Courthouse

to show their support for the former president.

Is this the new litmus test for GOP candidates?

One of the questions for our politics Monday team,

that's Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report

with Amy Walter and Tamaraakeeth of NPR.

Great to see you both.

So let's start there, Tam,

with this stream of GOP elected leaders

who have been making this pilgrimage

to this New York City courthouse to speak out

in support of Donald Trump.

What should we make of this?

These leaders, these elected leaders,

say that they're there to speak on behalf of Mr. Trump

because he can't speak on his own behalf

because of his gag order.

And they are delivering the message that the former president wants to have delivered, a message

that, you know, both with their presence and with their words is saying this trial isn't serious.

This trial is a witch hunt or a Democratic prosecutor run amok.

By making that pilgrimage up there often dressed in the Trump

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