Former President Donald Trump saluted January 6, 2021, rioters in the crowd at a rally in Dayton, Ohio, on Saturday.
Trump, who was in Ohio for a campaign stop at the Buckeye Values PAC rally, honored and thanked the participants of the deadly siege on the U.S. Capitol.
“Please rise for the horribly and unfairly treated January 6 hostages,” an announcer said. Trump saluted and the crowd stood as the National Anthem played.
Journalist Aaron Rupar shared a video of the moment on X, formerly Twitter, where it quickly amassed 100,000 views and more than 100 comments on Saturday.
Trump also opened his speech by thanking the rioters and calling them “unbelievable patriots.”
“Thank you very much, and you see the spirit from the hostages, and that’s what they are – hostages,” he said.
KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP/Getty
More than 1,265 individuals—including Trump himself—have been charged by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for their alleged involvement in the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol, with many already convicted and serving sentences.
The MAGA leader is accused of inciting the January 6, 2021, Capitol siege by spreading unfound claims of widespread voter fraud to his 2020 election supporters, which led to a violent riot as an effort to block Joe Biden’s 2020 Electoral College victory. Last year, the former president was indicted on four counts, including conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights.
Trump, the Republican frontrunner in the 2024 presidential election, has maintained his innocence, accusing prosecutors of attempting to derail his campaign.
This is a developing news story and will be updated with more information.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.