On January 6, motivated by then-President Donald Trump's lies about the 2020 election, a mob of pro-Trump extremists stormed the United States Capitol, shattering windows, beating police officers, ransacking offices, and threatening the lives of any lawmaker seen as disloyal to Trump.
Among these rioters was Ashli Babbitt, who was shot by an unnamed law enforcement officer while trying to climb through a broken window to infiltrate the Speaker's Lobby.
Though the right constantly contorts itself to justify the shootings of unarmed Black people by police, Trump's supporters instantly enshrined Babbitt as a martyr, rather than someone leading a violent mob into a restricted area of the United States Capitol while calling for the execution of elected officials.
Now, Trump himself is fully adopting that rhetoric, having released a statement hailing her as a patriot.
Because Trump was banned from Twitter for inciting violence, his statement was siphoned through his spokeswoman and habitual liar, Liz Harrington.
NEW!\n\nPresident Donald J. Trump:\n\n"I spoke to the wonderful mother and devoted husband of Ashli Babbitt, who was murdered at the hands of someone who should never have pulled the trigger of his gun. We know who he is.pic.twitter.com/T5Camhfzmi— Liz Harrington (@Liz Harrington) 1628708151
Trump wrote:
"I spoke to the wonderful mother and devoted husband of Ashli Babbitt, who was murdered at the hands of someone who never should have pulled the trigger of his gun. We know who he is. If that happened to the "other side," there would be riots all over America and yet, there are far more people represented by Ashli, who truly loved America, than there are on the other side. The Radical Left haters cannot be allowed to get away with this. There must be justice!"
Trump has repeatedly praised the failed insurrectionists. Even hours after they infiltrated the Capitol—when he finally asked them to go home—he emphasized that they were "very special" and that "we love you."
People found Trump's latest statements abhorrent.
Quite a thoroughly disgusting statement.https://twitter.com/chrismegerian/status/1425531623613911040\u00a0\u2026— Adam Kinzinger (@Adam Kinzinger) 1628725454
Threatening a cop. This is where we are now.https://twitter.com/chrismegerian/status/1425531623613911040\u00a0\u2026— Charlie Sykes (@Charlie Sykes) 1628719479
Threatening a cop. This is where we are now.https://twitter.com/chrismegerian/status/1425531623613911040\u00a0\u2026— Charlie Sykes (@Charlie Sykes) 1628719479
This is ominous.https://twitter.com/ChrisMegerian/status/1425531623613911040\u00a0\u2026— Paul Jankura (@Paul Jankura) 1628740137
Trump is a godawful, deranged human being. He set a pack of wild dogs upon the Capitol. Now wants to flip the script. Police injuries, deaths and suicides mean nothing to this man. He\u2019s a monster, using an officer as fresh meat in his sordid assault on democracy.https://twitter.com/chrismegerian/status/1425531623613911040\u00a0\u2026— jntplnt (@jntplnt) 1628774760
This is one of the most sick and demented statements b y Trump ever:https://twitter.com/ChrisMegerian/status/1425531623613911040\u00a0\u2026— bmaz (@bmaz) 1628740202
Trump was once again attempting to incite violence.
Trump openly heaping praise on insurrectionists. How is this not incitement of another similar attack?https://twitter.com/chrismegerian/status/1425531623613911040\u00a0\u2026— Mehdi Hasan (@Mehdi Hasan) 1628739907
\u201cThere must be justice\u201d (as it pertains to this specific instance) is a call for vigilante justice, and is so beyond the pale it\u2019s hard to even describe.https://twitter.com/chrismegerian/status/1425531623613911040\u00a0\u2026— Todd Shepherd (@Todd Shepherd) 1628724599
Donald Trump is again inciting his white supremacist base to commit violence against police officers. He is leading a domestic terrorism movement to overthrow our legally elected government.https://twitter.com/chrismegerian/status/1425531623613911040\u00a0\u2026— Mark Greene (@Mark Greene) 1628783845
The House Select Committee on the Capitol Riots continues to investigate the failed insurrection.
