In a strange series of Fourth of July messages, Donald Trump insisted on Monday that the “Unselect Committee of political Thugs” on the Jan. 6 House panel should “go after” people “burning down cities.”
It’s unclear what the former president was referring to in his posts on Truth Social. No U.S. cities are being incinerated.
Screen Shot/Truth Social/Donald Trump
The major current crime issue in America appears to be a weekly series of mass shootings, many involving assault-style weapons — access to which Trump champions. As of early June, there had already been more than 250 mass shootings in the U.S. in 2022.
In fact, as people began to celebrate Independence Day on Monday, a shooter attacked a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, causing multiple deaths and injuries.
In his message, Trump urged members of the House select committee to “go after” “people who have been rioting, burning down cities, leading the massive crime wave, & killing many all over the U.S., including drug & human traffickers.”
Trump appears to be rattled by the thought of facing criminal charges himself, which could emerge from the House panel’s televised hearings — and his posts appear to be an effort to direct focus away from the violence of Jan. 6, 2021.
One hundred and forty police officers were injured in the storming of the Capitol last year. More than 840 were arrested and charged with crimes including assault, using a deadly weapon, destruction and theft of government property, trespassing, and seditious conspiracy. Costs and damages amounted to nearly $3 million.
In another post, Trump mocked the criticism he has received for urging his supporters to march to the Capitol on Jan. 6 and “fight like hell” to disrupt the certification of Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential victory.
Trump posted Monday: “Fight on, America, Fight On! (Oh, I’m sorry. By using the word FIGHT, they will say I am inciting an insurrection. Apologies!).”
Screen Shot/Truth Social/Donald Trump
Trump’s words appear even more ominous in light of last week’s testimony from Cassidy Hutchinson, who was an aide to former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows.
Hutchinson testified under oath that Trump had insisted on dropping security screenings for his supporters, who were known to be carrying weapons before they marched to the Capitol. “They’re not here to hurt me,” Trump said, according to Hutchinson. The mob did, however, chant that former Vice President Mike Pence should be “hanged,” called for lawmakers to be “dragged” through the streets, and viciously attacked police officers.
There’s a growing chance that the Justice Department will charge Trump with a crime or crimes connected to the violent insurrection as more damaging testimony emerges.
Jan. 6 panel co-chair Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) said Sunday that the select committee could make multiple criminal referrals to the DOJ concerning Trump. A poll last month found that nearly 6 in 10 Americans believe the former president should be charged for his actions linked to the insurrection.