Former President Donald Trump has once again expressed his sympathy for those imprisoned for their participation in the January 6, 2021 riot at the United States Capitol, referring to them as “hostages” during a rally in Texas.
At an event in Houston, Texas, Trump made his entrance to the rhythm of “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood, a song that has been a common element at his rallies, The Hill reported.
However, after the performance, a song was played in which Trump collaborated with a choir of inmates detained on charges related to the assault on the Capitol. The former president stood up and greeted the attendees.
Trump addressed the crowd saying, “Well, thank you very much and you know what that was. I call them the ‘J-6 hostages’, not prisoners. I call them the hostages, what happened? And you know, it’s a shame.”
Sympathy for the attackers
The song, titled “Justice for All,” which was released in March on multiple streaming services, features Trump reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. The former president’s participation in the song comes after a Jan. 6 inmate choir, credited as the “J6 Prison Choir,” performed “The Star-Spangled Banner,” according to the outlet.
According to various reports cited by The Hill, the funds raised through this song went to the families of those accused related to the January 6 riot.
Trump has repeatedly expressed sympathy for rioters charged in connection with the events of January 6 and has hinted that he might consider pardoning some of them.
“There are police officers, firefighters, teachers, electricians, excellent people, and they have been made to pay a price that is very unfair, in many cases, not in all,” Trump said at a fundraiser earlier this year, according to a video from the speech verified by NBC News.
Importantly, Trump himself faces charges for his efforts to remain in power after losing the 2020 election, as well as his attempts to overturn the results of Georgia’s 2020 state elections.
Trump makes these statements about those detained for the assault on the Capitol a few days after the judicial processes that some of them face became known.
Common sense
At the same rally, former President Trump assured that he is a conservative but also “a person with great common sense.”
“A lot of what we do is common sense. People say you can separate it. No, I am conservative, but I am a person with great common sense, like 95% of this audience, not 100%,” he said, as reported by The Messenger.
“You don’t need to have a label,” added Trump, who is generally labeled as far-right or radical right. However, the Republican candidate noted that he does not want open borders, he wants low taxes, “excellent education,” “wonderful housing at low interest rates” and voter identification.
With information from The Hill.
Keep reading:
- Storming of the Capitol: two Missouri men charged for attacking officers during the riots
- Oregon man who stormed the Capitol sentenced to more than three years in prison
- Former Michigan gubernatorial candidate receives sentence for participating in the 2021 Capitol assault