Donald Trump vowed, assuming he were to run and win a second term in 2024, to pardon convicted protesters from the January 6 riot at the Capitol.
“I mean full pardons with an apology to many,” he told conservative radio host Wendy Bell.
Trump also revealed that he has been “financially supporting” some of the defendants and railed against federal prosecutors who, in his view, are treating them harshly.
“They were in my office actually two days ago. It’s very much on my mind. It’s a disgrace what they’ve done to them. What they’ve done to these people, it’s disgraceful,” said Trump.
Trump has yet to officially announce a run in 2024, though he has hinted often and strongly.
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Trump says if he wins in 2024 that he will issue full pardons and apologies to “many” of the January 6 rioters. https://t.co/l75i4DKdmo
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) September 1, 2022
Trump Vows January 6 Pardons, Biden Calls Them Enemies of the Nation
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The former President’s comments came hours before Joe Biden delivered a thoroughly divisive speech slamming ‘MAGA Republicans’ as a threat to the nation.
“There is no question that the Republican Party today is dominated, driven, and intimidated by Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans, and that is a threat to this country,” Biden told supporters Thursday night.
Nothing about this is accidental.
The blood red lights, Marines used as props, just hours after he threatened Americans with F-15s.
Hes not semi-fascist, he’s full-blown fascist.
— Rusty 🎙️ (@rustyweiss74) September 2, 2022
Biden then asserted a need to level with the American people about the supposed dangers presented by their Republican-voting friends and family.
“It is my duty — my duty to level with you, to tell the truth no matter how difficult, no matter how painful,” he continued.
“And here, in my view, is what is true: MAGA Republicans do not respect the Constitution. They do not believe in the rule of law. They do not recognize the will of the people,” said Biden. “They refuse to accept the results of a free election.”
This is rich coming from a man who once agreed with a voter that Trump was an “illegitimate president in my mind” and even suggested the 2022 midterms “could easily be illegitimate.”
This second attempt from Biden on whether the election will be legit is even worse.
“Oh, yeah, I think it could easily be illegitimate … The increase in the prospect of being illegitimate is in proportion to not being able to get these reforms passed.” pic.twitter.com/nCyuAWSMXm
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) January 19, 2022
RELATED: Mitch McConnell At Odds With Trump: Opposes Pardons For January 6 Rioters
RINOs Don’t Support the Pardons
This isn’t the first time Trump has mentioned pardons for January 6 rioters, a platform which puts him at odds with some GOP Senators.
“If I run, and if I win, we will treat those people from January 6 fairly. We will treat them fairly,” he vowed in January. “If that requires pardons, we will give them pardons, because they are being treated so unfairly.”
Those comments led to Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY) nearly having an aneurysm.
“I would not be in favor of shortening any of the sentences for any of the people who pleaded guilty to crimes,” McConnell responded.
REPORTER: How concerned are you about the former president offering pardons to people who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6…?
MCCONNELL: …I would not be in favor of shortening any of the sentences for any of the people who pleaded guilty to crimes. pic.twitter.com/QBhajP50LV
— JM Rieger (@RiegerReport) February 1, 2022
Graham flatly opposed the move saying, “No, I don’t want to send any signal that it was OK to defile the Capitol.”
Added Graham: “I think it’s inappropriate … I don’t want to do anything that would make this more likely in the future.”
Do you know what’s more likely to lead to riots in the future? This kind of crap …
That was the most demagogic, outrageous, and divisive speech I have ever seen from an American president. Joe Biden essentially declared all those who oppose him and his agenda enemies of the republic. Truly shameful. pic.twitter.com/ZcJX2BbZlt
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) September 2, 2022
At a rally in February, Trump reiterated his promise to treat January 6 defendants fairly by issuing pardons. In an interview around the same time, he responded to Graham’s comments.
“Well, Lindsey Graham’s wrong. I mean, Lindsey’s a nice guy, but he’s a RINO. Lindsey’s wrong,” Trump said.
“Lindsey Graham doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about if he says that,” he added.
President Trump Responding To @LindseyGrahamSC Calling Pardoning Jan 6 Political Prisoners “Inappropriate”
“Well, Lindsey Graham is wrong. I mean Lindsey is a nice guy, but he’s a RINO.”
“Lindsey Graham doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about.”pic.twitter.com/XPD27l3Y5Z
— The Columbia Bugle 🇺🇸 (@ColumbiaBugle) February 2, 2022
On Thursday he accused federal prosecutors in the “radical left system” of being “sick” over the way they treat Capitol riot defendants.
“These people are sick. There’s something wrong with them. Nobody’s ever seen anything like it. They’re sick. And they’re cold,” he said. “They’re the most coldhearted people, they don’t care about families, they don’t care about anything.”
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