Senator J.D. Vance defended Donald Trump’s actions on January 6th, saying it was “absurd” to claim Trump endangered lives given that he told protesters to demonstrate peacefully.
While acknowledging it was a “bad day” and “riot”, Vance was skeptical Mike Pence’s life was truly in danger.
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins asked, “Does it give you any pause to be his vice president given how he is treated, Mike Pence?”
Vance argued that Democrats exaggerate the events and don’t hold Trump responsible for everything said by participants.
Vance said, “Kaitlin, I’m extremely skeptical that Mike Pence’s life was ever in danger. I think politics and politics, people like to really exaggerate things from time to time.”
He added, “A lot of folks in the Democratic Party, Kaitlan, act as if January 6 was the scariest moment of their lives. I think look, January 6 was a bad day. It was a riot, but the idea that Donald Trump endangered anyone’s lives when he told them to protest peacefully, it’s just absurd.”
Vance said, “Did a few people say some bad things? Sure. But do we blame Donald Trump for every bad thing that’s ever been said by a participant in American democracy. I think that’s an absurd standard.”
Vance asserted the Biden administration trying to prevent Trump from campaigning poses a bigger threat to democracy than January 6th.
He said, “I think the biggest threat to American democracy Kaitlin, is that the Biden administration is trying to prevent Donald Trump from campaigning and taking his case to the American people even as hide their own candidate.”
