Trump says he and the Capitol rioters wished the identical factor: overthrow Biden’s victory

Trump supporters near the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC.

Shay Horse | NurPhoto | Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump told reporters he wanted what members of the mob wanted during the violent uprising on Jan. 6: overturn the election of President Joe Biden.

“Personally, I wanted what they wanted,” said Trump of the rioters on Monday in Vanity Fair, which contains excerpts from the new book “I Alone Can Fix It” by Washington Post journalists Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker.

The former president downplayed the deadly violence in the Capitol that day and, according to the article, reiterated several lies and erroneous claims about the integrity of the election.

“They only showed up to show their support because I believe the elections were rigged to a level that has never been rigged before,” Trump told the two reporters in an interview in his Mar-a- Lago Resort in Florida.

“There’s tremendous evidence. There’s tremendous evidence. Statistically, it wasn’t even possible [Biden] won. Things like, if you win Florida, Ohio and Iowa, there was never a loss, “he said.

Trump also claimed in the interview that the Capitol Police welcomed and warmly greeted members of the mob in the halls of Congress that day after thousands of his supporters marched from a rally outside the White House where he urged them to oppose the confirmation of Biden’s victory by Congress to fight.

“To be fair, the Capitol Police brought people in,” Trump said.

“The Capitol Police were very friendly. They hugged and kissed. You don’t see that. There’s a lot of tape,” he said in the article entitled, “‘I’m Get the Word Out’: Inside the Feverish Thoughts of Donald Trump two months after leaving the White House. “

Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference CPAC on July 11, 2021 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas.

Brandon Bell | Getty Images

The article states that “Trump failed to mention the countless reports of appalling violence – that of a seditious mob who knocked a police officer down and later threatened to shoot him with his own weapon, or that of an insurgent who broke a flagpole beats another. ” The chest of a cop, or that of another cop who howled in pain as he was pushed into a closing door. “

Trump alluded to the violence, however, despite speaking of the “loving crowd” at his rally before the Capitol uprising.

“There was a lot of love. I’ve heard that from everyone. Many, many people have told me that was a loving amount,” said Trump, adding, “It was a shame, it was a shame they did that. ” . “

More than 500 people were arrested in connection with the uprising that invaded the Senate Chamber, causing then Vice-President Mike Pence and members of Congress to hide in safe places, and disrupted an ongoing session of Congress for hours to confirm Biden’s victory.

Five people died in connection with the riot, including Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick. More than 100 other police officers were injured in the close combat.

Members of the U.S. Capitol Police attempt to fend off a mob of supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump while one of them tries to use a flag like a spear as supporters storm the U.S. Capitol in Washington on January 6, 2021.

Leah Millis | Reuters

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Trump complained during his interview with reporters for the Post about Pence and Barr’s failure to comply with his claims and take steps to keep him in office. Pence chaired the joint session of Congress on January 6th.

“The biggest fraud that was ever committed in this country was this last election,” said Trump in an interview. “It was rigged and it was stolen. It was both. It was a combination and Bill Barr didn’t do anything about it.”

DC policeman Daniel Hodges

Source: DC Police Dept.

“If Mike Pence had had the courage to send it back to the legislature, I think you would have had a different outcome,” said the former president.

Trump also blamed the US Supreme Court, which has three judges appointed by him, for failing to honor his campaign’s electoral claims.

“I needed better judges. The Supreme Court was afraid to take it,” Trump said. “It [Biden’s win] should have been reversed by the Supreme Court. I am very disappointed with the Supreme Court because they have done the country very badly. “

Trump also destroyed other Republicans as well as members of his own administration in the interview, including Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, former House Speaker Paul Ryan, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, former US Ambassador Nikki Haley, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dr. Debora Birx, the late Senator John McCain, Sen, Mitt Romney, Sen. Ben Sasse, and Arizona Governor Doug Ducey.

Trump called McConnell, whose wife Elaine Chao served as Trump’s Secretary of Transportation, “a stupid person” for refusing to dispose of the Senate filibuster and failing to convince West Virginia Democrat Senator Joe Manchin to become a Republican .

He also bragged about Mar-a-Lago’s seaside location, the size of one of its window panes, and his four-year tenure. His press secretary handed reporters copies of a bound document entitled “1000 Achievements of President Donald J. Trump: Highlights of the First Term,” the article reads.

Trump also hinted that he was and will be unbeatable in an election against any other live candidate.

“I think it would be hard if George Washington came back from the dead and elected Abraham Lincoln as his vice president. I think it would have been very hard for them to hit me,” Trump said.

Corrigendum: Trump’s press secretary gave reporters copies of a bound document entitled “1000 Achievements by President Donald J. Trump: Highlights of the First Term,” the article reads. In a previous version, the parties involved were incorrectly identified.