Former US President Donald Trump repeatedly denied answering questions about whether he watched the Capitol riot occur on television stating that he would “tell people later at an appropriate time”.
In an interview aired on Sunday (September 17) by NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’, Trump refused to say how he spent January 6, 2021, and if he made phone calls as his supporters stormed Capitol hill.
“I’m not going to tell you. I’ll tell people later at an appropriate time,” Trump told moderator Kristen Welker who asked him if he spent that afternoon watching the attack on television in a dining room at the White House.
Trump’s former aides have claimed he sequestered himself in the room off the Oval Office to watch, sometimes rewinding and rewatching some of the portions.
“Why would I tell you that?” Trump said as he refused to comment on who he dialed as the violence unfolded.
Trump’s response came to Welker’s questioning his silence while the violence occurred.
The former US President’s supporters had stormed the US Capitol as Congress prepared to certify Joe Biden, the Democrat candidate’s victory. Trump is facing criminal charges for his alleged involvement in overturning the loss in the 2020 presidential polls.
Trump said that he might consider pardoning some of those who were charged for their actions on that day.
Over 1,000 people have been booked for federal crimes in connection with the January 6 incident and more than 600 have pleaded guilty or been convicted.
“I’m going to look at them, and I certainly might if I think it’s appropriate” to pardon them, the former president said.
Donald Trump is facing 91 criminal charges in four cases in the federal and state courts for his alleged efforts to overturn the election, the mishandling of classified documents, and charges related to allegations of hush-money paid to cover up extramarital affairs. He has denied the charges.
In the interview, Trump was asked if he feared being sent to jail.
“No, I don’t really. I don’t even think about it. I’m built a little differently I guess,” he said.
The NBC appearance was Trump’s first broadcast network interview since leaving office.
(With AP inputs)
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