Watch: Trump Calls January 6 Capitol Attack a “Day of Love,” Downplays Violence

Former President Donald Trump described January 6, 2021, when his supporters stormed the US Capitol, as a “day of love.” This statement came during a town hall meeting hosted by Spanish-language network Univision, where he claimed it was a “day of love from the standpoint of millions” of people.

On that day, rioters, encouraged by Trump, attempted to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, leading to violence that resulted in the deaths of at least five law enforcement personnel and one rioter. Trump asserted that the individuals who attacked the Capitol did so because they believed the election was “rigged,” and he insisted that “nothing was done wrong at all” during the events that unfolded.

Trump further stated that the rally preceding the Capitol riot could have attracted the largest crowd he had ever spoken to. He also mentioned that he “totally disagreed” with former Vice President Mike Pence’s decision to certify the election results, despite having allegedly pressured Pence to stop the certification process.

Sara Mathews, the former Deputy White House Press Secretary who resigned following January 6, told CNN that the incident marked a “tipping point” for her. She expressed disappointment that Trump did not take action to quell the violence and instead seemed to enjoy the chaos. Mathews noted that she had hoped for a different response from Trump during the crisis.