Trump calls January 6 a “day of love”

Speaking at Univision for a Town Hall, Trump was confronted by Ramiro González, a 56-year-old Republican construction worker living in Tampa, Florida. González stated that he no longer wished to vote for him since the events of January 6, 2021, and asked him to convince him to reconsider his decision.

Trump chose instead to refer to the riots and the attempted overthrow of the government as a “day of love”, a statement that shocked many in attendance at Town Hall.

Trump calls 6 January US Capitol riots a ‘day of love’ https://t.co/myMu14RzHS

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) October 17, 2024

At the Town Hall in Miami, Florida, Ramiro González had a lot to say about some of the former president’s decisions.

During his speech, he explained to Trump that he found his actions and inactions during the riot “a little troubling”, particularly because of the time it took him to react as his supporters forward the Capitol.

Trump responded to the man by claiming that absolutely “nothing was done wrong”, despite the fact that thousands of his supporters had violently attacked the Capitol in Washington, D.C., that day, plunging the country into instability and setting a dangerous precedent by threatening the peaceful transfer of power.

“Ashli Babbitt was killed […] no one was killed”.

Instead, Trump claimed that the event had been peaceful, as his supporters were unarmed: “Other people had guns, but we didn’t. And when I say we, I mean those who came down […] But it was a day of love.”

Trump tried to disassociate himself and excuse the thousands of his supporters who laid siege to the Capitol after attending his “Stop the Steal” rally, declaring, “They didn’t come because of me […] they thought the election was rigged.”

Ramiro González also asked him why he should give him his vote if some people in his former administration wouldn’t support him.

He mentioned that even his own vice president, Mike Pence, didn’t want to support him. Trump responded by referring to Mike Pence’s actions: “The vice president […] I absolutely don’t agree with what he’s done.”

Trump’s answers on the subject clearly didn’t seem to convince González to vote for him on November 5.