Former President Donald Trump reacted to Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson releasing new and unseen footage from the Capitol Hill riot that unfolded on January 6, 2021, which appears to portray a different picture than the one that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) painted.
Throughout Tucker Carlson’s segment on Monday, footage showed scenes that ran contrary to some of the narratives put forth by the likes of former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) and the January 6 committee by claiming that rioters had participated in an “insurrection.” One particularly jarring piece of footage actually appeared to show Jacob Chansley, a.k.a. the “Qanon Shaman,” being calmly escorted through the Capitol by police officers. As Breitbart News reported:
On Monday, during the broadcast of “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” Fox News Channel host Tucker Carlson aired and discussed some of the footage from the Capitol on January 6, 2021 that he received from House Speaker Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).
One portion of the footage from the Capitol that Carlson discussed touched on the timing of and cause of U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick’s death. Carlson said the footage shows Sicknick was alive after he was allegedly killed by people at the Capitol and the footage was viewed by members of the January 6 Committee, who refused to release it to the public.
In 2021, the D.C. Medical Examiner’s office concluded that Officer Sicnick’s death was due to natural causes, a finding the U.S. Capitol Police accepted.
Another portion of the footage showed the movements inside the Capitol on January 6 of various people who entered the building — most notably the so-called “QAnon Shaman,” Jacob Chansley. Carlson said that while some of the people who entered the Capitol were “hooligans” and committed vandalism, others inside the Capitol aren’t that day were not and respected the building. In some of the security footage aired by Carlson, Chansley is seen walking near police in the Capitol building unobstructed.
🚨BREAKING: Never before seen video of January 6 shows Jacob Chansley, the QAnon Shaman, being led through the Capitol by police the entire time that he was in the building. pic.twitter.com/rikoRMWezF
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) March 7, 2023
Former President Donald Trump celebrated the segment, calling it one of the biggest “scoops” in U.S. history while demanding that the January 6 protesters be released.
“The Unselect Committee was a giant SCAM, and has now unequivocally been stamped as CRIMINAL FABRICATORS OF THIS MOST IMPORTANT DAY,” Trump posted on his Truth Social account. “Pelosi & McConnell failed on security. The Police story is sad and difficult to watch. ‘Trump’ and most others are totally innocent, LET THEM GO FREE, NOW!”
The former president also congratulated Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (CA) for releasing the footage to Tucker Carlson.
“A whole new, and completely opposite, picture has now been indelibly painted. The Unselect Committee LIED, and should be prosecuted for their actions. Nancy & Mitch were a disaster on Security. Thank you Kevin and Tucker. FREE AT LAST!!!” he said.
