Trump Responds to January 6 Committee Final Report

Following the release of the final report from the January 6 committee, which recommended former President Donald Trump be barred from holding office in the future and formally referred Trump to the Justice Department on four criminal charges, Trump responded with a post on his Truth Social account and a video provided to the Daily Caller.

Key Quotes: In the video, Trump stated that “the events of January 6 were not an insurrection. They were a protest that tragically got out of control, and which the left has been weaponizing ever since, to censor, spy on and persecute American citizens. The entire phony hoax is about taking away your speech, taking away your vote and taking away your freedom.” In the post on Truth Social, Trump stated that the committee’s report “purposely fails to mention the failure of Pelosi to heed my recommendation for troops to be used in D.C., show the ‘Peacefully and Patrioticly’ words I used, or study the reason for the protest, Election Fraud.”

For Context: Trump announced in November that he was again running for the presidency in 2024. Trump’s announcement and a disappointing midterm season for the Republican Party has caused turmoil in the GOP, as some look to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for a potential White House run in 2024. On Friday, Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell stated that Trump’s political clout was ‘diminished,’ believing his rhetoric has turned moderate voters away from Republican candidates.