Trump as soon as criticised Jan 6 rioters. Now he’s considered one of their largest supporters

By Associated Press: The day after Jan. 6, 2021, then-President Donald Trump denounced the rioters who violently stormed the Capitol constructing, breaking by way of barricades, battling legislation enforcement and sending members of Congress — who have been set to formally certify his reelection loss — working for his or her lives.

“Like all Americans, I am outraged by the violence, lawlessness and mayhem,” he stated in a video, condemning what he referred to as a “heinous attack.”

That condemnation was delayed and solely provided amid widespread criticism — together with from fellow Republicans — for his function in sparking the mayhem. But 2 1/2 years later, any signal of remorse or reprimand from Trump has vanished as he prepares to face federal legal fees for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

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Now the early however commanding front-runner within the 2024 Republican presidential main, Trump frequently downplays the violence, lionizes the rioters as patriots and spreads false claims about who was concerned. He has not solely vowed to pardon a “large portion” of Jan. 6 defendants if he wins a second time period, however he has additionally fundraised for them, befriended their households and collaborated on a track that turned a shock iTunes hit.

“They were there proud, they were there with love in their heart. … And it was a beautiful day,” Trump stated at a current CNN city corridor. When requested if he had any regrets about his actions that day, Trump voiced no regret and as an alternative appeared most involved concerning the lack of consideration paid to his crowd measurement.

“Jan. 6: It was the largest crowd I’ve ever spoken to,” he stated.

Trump was at all times reluctant to sentence the actions of supporters spurred by his lies of a stolen election. As the violence unfolded, Trump ignored the determined pleas of aides and allies to denounce the rioters and ask them to face down. And when he did communicate out, hours later, his response was tepid: He stated he liked the rioters and shared their ache.

Trump’s evolution started at a time when he was garnering comparatively little mainstream media protection. And it echoed the efforts of some Republicans in Congress, who had tried to recast the mob as nonviolent regardless of reams of video footage, public testimony and accounts from members of Congress, journalists and Capitol Police officers, 140 of whom have been injured that day.

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It additionally coincided with a broader shift in public opinion. Polling from Monmouth University confirmed that between March and November 2021, Republicans grew more and more prone to say the anger that led to the Capitol assault was justified, with 54% saying the anger was both totally or partially justified within the fall — up from 40% that spring.

The Pew Research Center additionally discovered that, between March and September 2021, Republicans grew much less prone to say it was essential for legislation enforcement companies to seek out and prosecute the rioters. Only 57% stated that it was very or considerably essential within the fall, down from about 8 in 10 six months earlier.

That was when, in an interview with Fox News Channel’s Laura Ingraham, Trump claimed the rioters had posed “zero threat” to the lawmakers who had assembled within the Capitol to certify the Electoral College vote — though the mob tried to breach the House chamber.

“Look, they went in — they shouldn’t have done it. Some of them went in, and they’re hugging and kissing the police and the guards, you know, they had a great relationship,” he stated.

In truth, lots of the protesters violently clashed with police as they stormed the constructing, smashing home windows and ramming by way of doorways. Some brandished weapons; others wore tactical gear. Dozens of officers have been severely injured.

By that point, lots of Trump’s supporters had already painted Ashli Babbitt, considered one of 5 individuals who died throughout or instantly after the riot, as a martyr unjustly killed by police,

Babbitt was fatally shot by an officer whereas making an attempt to climb by way of the damaged window of a barricaded door as Capitol Police scrambled to evacuate members.

That summer time, Trump started to publicly demand the discharge of the shooter’s id, regardless of the officer being cleared of wrongdoing by two federal investigations.

“Who shot Ashli Babbitt?” Trump requested repeatedly.

Trump referred to as Babbitt “an innocent, wonderful, incredible woman” in an interview with Fox News and described his supporters that day in glowing phrases, claiming that there had been a “love fest between the Capitol police and the people that walked down to the Capitol.”

“They were peaceful people. These were great people. The crowd was unbelievable,” he stated. “And I mentioned the word ‘love.’ The love — the love in the air, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

That fall, Trump taped a video that was performed at an occasion commemorating what would have been Babbitt’s birthday during which he demanded “justice” for her and her household.

In January 2022, Trump first publicly dangled the prospect of pardons for the Jan. 6 defendants at a rally in Texas.

“If I run and if I win, we will treat those people from Jan. 6 fairly,” he advised the group. “And if it requires pardons, we will give them pardons because they are being treated so unfairly.” At that time, greater than 670 individuals had been convicted of crimes associated to the assault, together with some discovered responsible of seditious conspiracy and assaulting cops.

In September 2022, Trump advised conservative radio host Wendy Bell that he was serving to a number of the defendants, although aides declined on the time how or how a lot he had contributed.

“I’m financially supporting people that are incredible, and they were in my office actually two days ago. It’s very much on my mind,” he stated. “It’s a disgrace what they’ve done to them. … Contributions should be made.”

Days later, Trump held a rally in Pennsylvania that included remarks from Cynthia Hughes, the founding father of the Patriot Freedom Project, whose nephew was convicted for storming the Capitol. Geri Perna, whose nephew died by suicide whereas awaiting sentencing after pleading responsible to riot-related fees, additionally spoke.

Later that month, the previous president referred to as right into a small rally held exterior a Washington jail the place Jan. 6 defendants have been held, led by Micki Witthoeft, Babbitt’s mom.

“We’re with you. We’re working with a lot of different people on this. And we can’t let this happen,” he stated through cellphone held as much as a microphone.

Trump’s help has solely intensified since he formally launched his third marketing campaign.

Earlier this 12 months, he collaborated on “Justice for All,” a track that encompasses a choir of Jan. 6 defendants singing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” recorded over a jail cellphone line and overlaid with Trump reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Trump featured the track on the first official rally of his 2024 marketing campaign, standing along with his hand on his coronary heart as a music video that includes violent footage of the riot performed behind him on two big screens.

In June, he spoke at a Patriot Freedom Project fundraiser to help the defendants that was held at his Bedminster, New Jersey, membership.

“They’ve been made to pay a price that is very unfair, in many cases,” he stated, in line with video of his remarks.

Trump additionally recorded a video performed on the group’s vacation fundraising occasion in Washington and hosted a dinner for relations of Jan. 6 defendants at Mar-a-Lago in March.

“He is very concerned for these families,” Hughes stated after the occasion.

An Associated Press evaluation of social media posts, voter registrations, court docket recordsdata and different public information discovered that the mob was overwhelmingly made up of longtime Trump supporters, together with GOP officers, donors and far-right militants.

But that hasn’t stopped Trump from falsely claiming that others have been chargeable for the assault, together with antifa and Black Lives Matter. Last weekend on his social media web site, Trump amplified messages claiming that Jan. 6 had been a “staged riot” orchestrated by the federal government.

Trump was nonetheless in command of the federal government on the time.