Former President Donald Trump, the leading Republican contender for the 2024 presidential race, has urged President Biden to release his supporters who were involved in the January 6, 2021, protest at the U.S. Capitol.
Trump made these remarks during a speech in Clinton, Iowa, on the third anniversary of the protest.
Trump referred to the individuals detained in connection with the Capitol protest as "hostages" and demanded their release. "They outta release them," Trump told his supporters. "I call them hostages, some people call them prisoners, I call them hostages." He further implored, "Release the J6 hostages, Joe! Release them, Joe! You can do them real easy, Joe. This guy, what he's done to people."
Since the events of January 6, 2021, the Department of Justice under President Biden has been actively identifying, arresting, and prosecuting those involved. To date, over 1,200 individuals have been apprehended.
According to data reviewed by the Washington Examiner, nearly 850 years of prison time has been meted out to approximately 450 defendants by the end of 2023. While most have received sentences of a few days, others who committed more serious offenses face years, and in some cases, decades in prison.
Trump's comments were in response to President Biden's address from Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, where he labeled Trump and his "MAGA extremist" supporters as a "threat to democracy." Biden claimed that "we nearly lost America" on January 6 and referred to Trump as "sick" and a "loser." He even compared Trump to Adolf Hitler, accusing the former Republican president of "echoing the same exact language used in Nazi Germany."
Biden concluded his address by stating, "I understand power."
Trump and Republican lawmakers have accused Biden of using the Justice Department to target his political adversaries. This accusation comes after Biden's DOJ indicted Trump on multiple charges, including his alleged role in the January 6 events. Trump has labeled these indictments as "election interference."
During his visit to Newton, Iowa, Trump argued that the current crisis at the US-Southern border is far more severe than the events of January 6. "When you talk about insurrection - that, that's the real deal," Trump stated, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Trump has pledged to pardon January 6 defendants who did not commit severe offenses if he is re-elected in 2024.
Login