Albert Watkins, defense attorney for Jacob Chansley, the man colloquially known as the "QAnon Shaman," had a message for former President Trump Wednesday—and he definitely wasn't pulling any punches.
Watkins told Trump that he needed to take care of "the jackasses that you f*cked up because of January 6," while speaking with the press outside the courthouse after Chansley's sentencing hearing.
Watkins was asked what he would consider "appropriate accountability" for Trump's instigation of the January 6th insurrection.
He began:
"If you're asking my opinion, my opinion is meaningless. I will say that I would probably be far more effective over a beer with former President Trump, even if he didn't have a beer, because I understand he doesn't drink beer, but I'd have a beer."
He then went on to explain exactly what he would say to the former President while he drank his beer.
"And I'd tell him, 'You know what? You've got a few f*cking things to do. Including clearing this f*cking mess up and taking care of a lot of the jacka**es that you f*cked up because of January 6.' In the meantime, I might talk to him about some other things that I'd agree with him on. But my opinion doesn't mean sh*t"
He finished:
"In the meantime, I might talk to him about some other things that I agree with him on. But my opinion doesn't mean sh*t."
You can view Watkins' statement to the media below (content note: profanity):
The attorney for Jacob Chansley, a.k.a. the \u2018QAnon Shaman,\u2019 said Trump needs to take care of the \u2018jackasses that [he] f*cked up because of January 6\u2019pic.twitter.com/llHasyNWOL— NowThis (@NowThis) 1637203980
Reactions to Watkins' interview were largely supportive on Twitter, with many congratulating him for telling it the way he sees it.
This guy is a gem !pic.twitter.com/lgvH1IqLXt— audrey porter (@audrey porter) 1637284151
He is hilarious. I love that frankness.— UKtoUSmomma (@UKtoUSmomma) 1637273464
This guy needs to use this moment and do a presser with every news station plus faux \u201centertainment\u201d channel and OANot and newsmaxipad. This is the voice we need right now!!— KellyGirl (@KellyGirl) 1637276096
Wow! I've never really cared for Al Watkins, but this changed my mind. I'd like to buy him a beer - and I don't drink beer either!!— Bo McDonnell (@Bo McDonnell) 1637269821
God damn!?! When keeping it real goes right!!!pic.twitter.com/vgBaDSgSZR— BC (@BC) 1637204618
Most real attorney I have ever heard give a presser. I want to now how a beer with him.— Seanski (@Seanski) 1637269357
Meanwhile, others challenged his insinuation that Trump was the sole cause of the riots.
@SteveInRealife/Twitter
I'm not denying who trump is or the influence he's had on these people; I am emphatically denying, however, that it in any excuses or justifies their behavior. trump didn't do this to them. He made them feel good about themselves.— SteveInRealLife (@SteveInRealLife) 1637255094
Wait\u2026.what happen to \u201cpersonal responsibility\u201d? Does that only apply when GQP is telling poor, working people they have to \u201cpull themselves up by the bootstraps\u201d to earn more money to get out of poverty?— Annette Sanders (@Annette Sanders) 1637273214
Still others were simply incredulous at the idea of Trump taking responsibility for anything at all.
hahahahahaha! Trump help them? \n\nThat'll be the day. Better bring your lunch, it'll be a long time.— UtesBy5! (@UtesBy5!) 1637258462
This is far from the first time Watkins has made the news for his use of profuse profanity in his conversations with the press. He made some shocking remarks about his client and the other defendants involved in the insurrection that also included substantial swearing and ableist slurs.
Watkins said:
"A lot of these defendants—and I'm going to use this colloquial term, perhaps disrespectfully—but they're all f*cking short-bus people. These are people with brain damage, they're f*cking ret*rded, they're on the goddamn spectrum."
While Watkins might not be the most professional of speakers, he certainly has a point about the former President's culpability for the insurrection.