Here's Why Comedian Joe Piscopo Appeared at Donald Trump's Hush Money Trial in New York

In a surprising show of support, former Saturday Night Live comedian, Joe Piscopo, was spotted attending Donald Trump's criminal trial in Manhattan, New York this week. Piscopo, a conservative radio host, explained that his motivations for being there were rooted in his decades-old friendship and a sense of loyalty to the former president. Speaking to Fox Business' Neil Cavuto, Piscopo gushed about his relationship with Trump dating back to the 1980s when he was a young comic and Trump was still 'The Donald,' a brash NYC real estate mogul.

Piscopo shared how Trump showed him kindness during a difficult time in his career. "I went in there, I checked in the hotel, I get the word from Donald – 'The Donald' back then. 'Whatever Joe needs'," Piscopo reminisced. "You don't forget that, you know. So say what you will, I'm a guy of loyalty and friendship." That loyalty was reinforced recently when Trump granted Piscopo a brief but exclusive interview at his campaign rally in Wildwood, New Jersey, earlier this month. While Piscopo expected to be pooled with other press, he was ushered into Trump's VIP tent for the one-on-one chat, as per HuffPost.

"The motorcade came in, he came right to me," Piscopo told Cavuto, seeming flattered by the presidential attention. "I'm Italian, I don't forget loyalty." Hence, when Trump's hush money trial kicked off in Manhattan, the 71-year-old, former SNL star, felt compelled to return the favor and show up in a display of friendship and respect. To safeguard himself from possible backlash, Piscopo further explained, "I said I'm gonna show up just to show respect to President Trump. That's all that was – a sign of friendship!" 

Despite Trump facing 34 felony counts for allegedly falsifying business records to conceal hush payments to adult film star, Stormy Daniels, in 2016, Piscopo claimed confusion over what the crime truly was. "When this trial started to unfold, and if you layer it back like you do on the television or the radio, we still don't know what the crime is," he insisted. The New Jersey radio host has been an outspoken Trump supporter dating back to the 2016 campaign when he criticized SNL for a sketch mocking Trump's alleged affair with Daniels.

At the time, Piscopo wondered, "What do I tell my kids?" Now, however, Piscopo is lending his star power to bolster Trump, attending the trial despite not being called as a witness. For Piscopo, it's a chance to maintain a decades-long bond with a man he says has always had his back. And regardless of the trial's outcome, it seems their loyal friendship will endure. As Piscopo put it, "We got to stop with the hate," Fox Business.