The former president of the United States of America (USA), Donald Trump, in an interview broadcast on Sunday, repeatedly refused to answer questions about whether he watched the riots in the Capitol on television, saying that "he will tell people that later, when it is necessary time," Voice of America reports.
Trump, the front-runner in the 2024 Republican race for the presidential nomination, declined to say on NBC's "Meet the Press" how he spent Jan. 6, 2021, when the riot began, and whether he was on the phone while his supporters stormed in. to the seat of American democracy.
"Why would I tell you that," he asked.
Pressed by moderator Kristen Welker, Trump added that he made "beautiful statements" on the day of the attack.
Trump's former aides said that he stayed in the room outside the Oval Office to watch the events, and sometimes even rewound and re-watched certain parts of the attack on the Capitol.
Trump's supporters, fueled by his lies about the 2020 presidential election, stormed the Congress building as the institution prepared to confirm the victory of Democrat Joseph Biden.
Trump faces federal criminal charges over his efforts to overturn his defeat in that election, but not sedition charges.
More than 1.000 people have been charged with federal crimes in connection with the Jan. 6 riots, and more than 600 have pleaded guilty or been convicted.
Trump has said he might consider pardoning some of the rioters accused of their actions that day, as well as pardoning former "Proud Boys" leader Enrique Tari, who was sentenced to 22 years in prison for masterminding a failed plot to for Trump to stay in power.
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Donald Trump faces 91 criminal charges in four cases in federal and state courts related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, his mishandling of classified documents and allegations he made secret payments to cover up extramarital affairs. He denied them all.
When asked if he was afraid of going to prison, he answered that he didn't even think about it:
"No, I really don't know. I guess I'm a slightly different man," he said.
Trump also spoke about Putin and the aggression against Ukraine
Trump also said in the interview that he was pleased to hear Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent statements praising him for hinting that he might be re-elected to the White House and that he would negotiate an end to Russia's war in Ukraine.
On Tuesday, Putin said that Trump's statements (that he will solve pressing problems in a few days, including the Ukraine crisis) are "good" and "bring happiness."
"Well, I like that he said that. Because it means that what I'm saying is right," Trump said on NBC.
He also added that he has good relations with Putin, which he has repeated several times before, but he denied that any deal he would seek in Ukraine would be a victory for Russia and allow it to keep the territory it has captured.
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