As one of his first acts if reelected, Donald Trump promised on Monday to release those imprisoned for their involvement in the 2021 attack on the US Capitol, referring to them as “hostages.”
On January 6, 2021, rioters, emboldened by the former president’s fabrications of voter fraud, stormed the US Capitol in an attempt to stop Joe Biden from taking office.
Based on the most recent data given last week by the Justice Department, in the 38 months that have passed since then, about 1,358 people have been charged. Approximately 500 people have received prison sentences.
Trump posted the comments on his Truth Social website, additionally promising to shut down the border with Mexico as part of his first acts if reelected, without providing details.
“My first acts as your next President will be to Close the Border, DRILL, BABY, DRILL, and Free the January 6 Hostages being wrongfully imprisoned!” he wrote late Monday.
Prior to taking office, Trump promised in a December televised town hall that he would not impose any kind of dictatorship “other than day one.”
It’s also not the first time Trump has urged that his imprisoned followers should be released or referred to them as “hostages”.
At a campaign rally in Iowa in January, he begged President Biden to “release the J6 hostages, Joe”.
Four criminal indictments have been brought against Trump, two of which are related to his attempts to rig the election after losing to Biden. These indictments are from the federal court and the Georgian court.
With Nikki Haley withdrawing from the campaign after Trump’s resounding victories in the primaries, the Republican nominee for president is all but guaranteed.
Trump maintains that his numerous legal troubles have strengthened rather than weakened the support he receives from the Republican base.
