Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi responded strongly to ex-President Donald Trump’s accusation that she was to blame for the violent events on January 6th at the U.S. Capitol.
On MSNBC’s The Sunday Show, host Jonathan Capehart inquired about her thoughts on Trump’s recent remarks made during an NBC’s Meet the Press interview.
In January 2021, fervent supporters of Trump breached the Capitol, aiming to halt the confirmation of President Joe Biden’s election win. This came after weeks of Trump making unverified claims that the 2020 election was rigged against him. Tragically, the event resulted in the death of five individuals, including a Capitol police officer. Additionally, two other officers subsequently ended their own lives.
The committee investigating the January 6 events concluded in its final report that Trump participated in an intricate plot to challenge the legitimate 2020 election results. They also asserted he did little to restrain his supporters from the violent attack. Trump has consistently refuted these allegations.
During his interview with Kristen Welker, Meet the Press’ latest host, Trump directly held Pelosi accountable for the chaos, stressing her role in security.
Pelosi swiftly countered Trump’s claims, suggesting he was merely deflecting.
“The prior White House resident is a master of deflection,” Pelosi stated to Capehart.
“He’s well aware of his culpability, so he redirects the blame. His provocation of a rebellion and violation of our Constitution on the day meant for the endorsement of the Electoral College’s decision… The attack on our Capitol, our Constitution, and our democracy is disgraceful. Yet, he continues his deflective tactics.”
Pelosi further clarified, “He would often say, ‘Pelosi rejected my forces.’ In reality, we consistently requested his assistance.”
She elaborated, “Both [Senate Majority Leader] Chuck Schumer and I persistently asked him to deploy forces. But his Army Secretary, Ryan D. McCarthy, and possibly the Defense Secretary gave various reasons for their inability to act. They are conscious of their vulnerability, hence the deflection.”
Trump, currently in the race to reclaim the presidency, faces multiple charges in four federal and state felony indictments related to his 2020 election challenges, classified information management, and alleged concealment of extramarital affair allegations. He refutes all these accusations.
When Welker questioned him about the possibility of incarceration, Trump casually brushed off the concerns, stating, “I barely give it any thought.” He continued, “Perhaps I’m just wired differently, as people often ask me about coping with the pressure. Yet, it never crosses my mind.”
