In a video recorded backstage at Trump’s rally ahead of the mob insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Donald Trump Jr was seen gathered with his father and other members of the family praising the crowds that had arrived.
Slurred Don Jr.: “I can’t believe the size of the crowds I’m seeing out there. Literally, there’s gotta be 100,000 people it goes all the way to the Washington Monument. Just awesome patriots that are sick of the bullshit. So, thank you all for that. It’s actually hard to believe.”
The NYT reports that President Trump watched those crowds storm the Capitol where a joint session of Congress was underway with glee: “As supporters stormed into the Capitol on Wednesday, Mr. Trump was initially pleased, officials said, and disregarded aides pleading with him to intercede. Unable to get through to him, Mark Meadows, his chief of staff, sought help from Ivanka Trump. Former Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, a longtime friend who has publicly criticized his efforts to invalidate the election results, tried to call Mr. Trump during the violence, but could not get through to him.”
The NYT also reports that Trump resisted taping the video he released last night, but only did so because of warnings from his counsel: “Mr. Trump initially resisted taping the video, agreeing to do it only after aides pressed him and he appeared to suddenly realize he could face legal risk for prodding the mob, coming shortly after the chief federal prosecutor for Washington left open the possibility of investigating the president for illegally inciting the attack by telling supporters to march on the Capitol and show strength. Pat A. Cipollone, the White House counsel, had warned Mr. Trump of just that danger on Wednesday as aides frantically tried to get the president to intervene and publicly call off rioters, which he did only belatedly, reluctantly and halfheartedly.”
