According to Forbes, in a recent live town hall with CNN, former President Donald Trump refused to acknowledge any wrongdoing in connection with the January 6 Capitol riot and even hinted that he may pardon the four Proud Boys members convicted of seditious conspiracy for their roles in the attack. When asked about the possibility of pardoning these members of the far-right group, Trump stated that he would have to look at their case, but also claimed that a fair trial could not be obtained in Washington, D.C.
if Trump is reelected in 2024, he pledged to pardon many of the over 600 people who have been convicted by the Justice Department for their involvement in the deadly insurrection, stating that “many of them are just great people.” Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Trump also continued to make unfounded claims of election fraud and refused to take any responsibility for the events of January 6, despite repeatedly urging his supporters to “fight” Congress’ certification of the 2020 presidential election.
I don’t know. I would have to look at their case, but I will say, in Washington, D.C., you can not get a fair trial.”
During the town hall, Trump defended the thousands who showed up to support him on January 6, stating that they were there with “love in their heart” and that it was a “beautiful day.” These comments came just days after Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio and members Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, and Zachary Rehl were found guilty of seditious conspiracy, among other federal charges, in what is considered one of the most serious and significant convictions in connection with the riots.
The town hall with CNN marked Trump’s first appearance on the network since 2016 and came just a day after a jury found him liable for sexually abusing writer E. Jean Carroll. Trump participated in the live event from Saint Anselm College in an attempt to connect with voters outside of his typical conservative media platforms and draw a contrast with his top competitor in the GOP presidential primary race, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Despite his legal woes and ongoing investigations into his conduct, Trump currently maintains a firm lead in polls and is expected to perform well in the upcoming 2024 Republican presidential primary. However, the recent verdict in the Carroll case and the subsequent reaction from some Republican lawmakers may cause some concern for his electability moving forward.
