Former US President Trump to meet congressional Republicans on Thursday

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - Former US President Donald Trump will meet congressional Republicans on Thursday near the Capitol Hill for the first time since his supporters attacked the building on Jan. 6, 2021.

"We're excited to welcome President Trump back. He'll be meeting with the Senate Republicans, of course, after he has a breakfast with us. And there's high anticipation here and great excitement," House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters on Wednesday.

Trump will meet House Republicans at the Capitol Hill Club, and then meet Republican senators at the National Republican Senatorial Committee headquarters after addressing the Business Roundtable.

With the Senate Republicans, the ex-president is slated to discuss their potential governing agenda for 2025.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters that he will attend the meeting with Trump, which will be the first time the two leaders will meet in person in years.

Last month, Trump was found guilty of all 34 charges related to his hush money trial by a New York jury, making him the first former US president to be convicted of felony criminal charges.

The Republican presidential candidate attacked the judge who oversaw his criminal case, saying America is a “fascist state” and claimed the prosecution had been engineered by the Biden administration.