When Donald Trump was interviewed in March with ABC’s Jonathan Karl, the former president called Jan. 6, the day of the deadly insurrection, “a very beautiful time,” according to Karl’s new bestselling book, Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show, Business Insider reports. Six hundred ninety-one individuals were charged for their participation in the Jan. 6 riot. Approximately 140 police officers were assaulted by the mob of Trump supporters, so it wasn’t a “very beautiful time” when they tried to stop the peaceful transition of power.
“During the interview at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Trump praised the supporters who attended his speech in which he urged his loyalists to march to the Capitol and protest Congress’ certification of then-President-elect Joe Biden’s victory,” the outlet reports.
“When Karl asked Trump why he tweeted, “Remember this day forever,” hours after the deadly riot, Trump told him that Jan. 6 was “a very beautiful time with extremely loving and friendly people — the largest crowd that I’ve ever spoken before — with tremendous spirit,” the report continues. “And I’m referring to that.”
‘Trump went on, “I’m referring to when I made a speech which was perfectly fine,” the outlet reports. “Some people thought it was mild-mannered …. it was a relatively mind-mannered speech.”
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Karl said he was taken aback by how fondly Trump described the riot.
“I was taken aback by how fondly he remembers a day I will always remember as one of the darkest I have ever witnessed,” Karl writes in his book.
“Trump also insisted that “the fake news” didn’t report on the large size of the crowd on the National Mall,” Insider, who obtained a copy of the book, reports.
“When I made that speech, it was a magnificently beautiful day,” Trump told Karl. “They never gave the credit to the size of the crowd when the crowd went all the way back to the Washington Monument.”
Trump did, however, admit that the day was “marred by what took place” after his speech.
Trump also defended his supporters’ “hang Mike Pence” chants.
Trump is good at gaslighting; He would have us believe that it was a loving, happy crowd. Trump did respond to Steve Bannon’s indictment, inadvertently confirming that the former president isn’t playing with a full deck.
You can read the full report here.
Featured image via Political Tribune gallery
