New York Times’ Maggie Haberman: “Not surprising” that Trump cheered calls to “hang Mike Pence”

Former chief of staff Mark Meadows told aides Trump "approved" of threats to murder his vice president

Published May 26, 2022 1:30PM (EDT)

President Donald Trump speaks at the "Stop The Steal" Rally on January 06, 2021 in Washington, DC. | US Vice President Mike Pence presides over a joint session of Congress to count the electoral votes for President at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, January 6, 2021.  (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump speaks at the "Stop The Steal" Rally on January 06, 2021 in Washington, DC. | US Vice President Mike Pence presides over a joint session of Congress to count the electoral votes for President at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, January 6, 2021. (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images)

This article originally appeared on Raw Story

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The House Select Committee investigating the January 6th Capitol riots has heard testimony that former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows told aides that former President Donald Trump approved of his supporters calling for the hanging of then-Vice President Mike Pence.

Appearing on CNN Thursday, Haberman said that the testimony lines up well with what Trump was saying publicly about Pence even as rioters stormed the Capitol and chanted for him to be hung.

"We know at the time that Trump was venting to aides that Pence was not doing what he wanted, which was, you know, exerting a power that Pence had told Trump he didn't have to interfere in the certification of the Electoral College vote in Congress that day," she said. "And Trump tweeted at 2:24 p.m. that day that he was angry at Pence... he was denouncing Pence for not doing this. It's not hugely surprising... that Trump said that and yet it is still pretty stunning."

As the rioters were storming the Capitol on January 6th, 2021, Trump initially resisted calls to tell the rioters to stand down, and he sent out a tweet criticizing Pence for not rejecting certified election results just minutes after the then-vice president was shown on live television being rushed off the floor of the United States Senate.

"Mike Pence didn't have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify," Trump wrote at 2:24 p.m. on January 6th, 2021. "USA demands the truth!"

Watch the video of Haberman below or at this link.


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Capitol Riot Donald Trump January 6 Mike Pence Partner Politics Raw Story