Trump continues to defend Jan 6 pardons, suggests Biden should have pardoned himself

(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump has continued to defend his controversial pardons of the Jan. 6 rioters during a Fox News interview, claiming that most were “absolutely innocent” despite being convicted.

Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity in an interview that aired Wednesday night that he made the pardons and commutations for 1,500 people involved in the pro-Trump mob attack on the U.S. Capitol for a “number of reasons.”

“They were treated like the worst criminals in history. And you know what they were there for? They were protesting the vote,” Trump said repeating the false claim the 2020 election was “rigged.”

After Hannity said that no one should be able to invade the Capitol, Trump responded, “Most of the people were absolutely innocent.”

On Thursday afternoon, answering reporter questions in the Oval Office, Trump was asked whether he planned to meet with those he pardoned –including at the White House.

“I don’t know, he responded. “I’m sure that they probably would like to.”

More than 250 people were convicted for their roles in the attack.

U.S. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick died after suffering multiple strokes hours after he was pepper sprayed by rioters. The Washington, D.C. medical examiner ruled he died of natural causes, but said his experience on Jan. 6 played a role in his condition.

Four officers who responded to the Capitol attack have since died by suicide, investigators said.

Approximately 140 Capitol Police officers were injured by rioters, making it one of the most violent days for law enforcement in recent U.S. history, according to investigators. Videos of the destruction and attacks, where the rioters used weapons including bats, hockey sticks, bear spray and stun guns were documented through thousands of hours of videos and police body camera footage that has been publicly released.

Trump, however, claimed on “Hannity” that the attacks on the police were “very minor incidents.”

“This was a political hoax. And you know what? Those people, and I’m not saying in every single case, but there was a lot of patriotism with those people,” he said.

He also said it would have been “very, very cumbersome” to separate out those convicted of violent assaults on police.

Trump’s pardons have come under fire from police unions, prosecutors and some Republicans on the Hill, including Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, who condemned the attacks on police officers.

Trump also suggested former President Joe Biden should have pardon himself as he did with his family members and lawmakers on the Jan. 6 committee.

“This guy went around giving everybody pardons. And you know, the funny thing, maybe the sad thing, is he didn’t give himself a pardon,” Trump said without giving specifics on what crimes his predecessor could have committed.

The president added that he would let Congress decide if Biden and those leaders should be probed.

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