NEW YORK, NY – Joshua Philipp, reporter with The Epoch Times and host of EpochTV’s “Crossroads” program, broadcasted live on YouTube earlier this week, following the reinstatement of former President Donald Trump’s Twitter account by the platform’s new CEO, Elon Musk.
Now that Trump’s controversial Twitter account is now active once again – although Trump himself has claimed that he will be sticking with his Truth Social account instead – Philipp pointed out several tweets made by the former Commander-in-Chief that the reporter claimed ran against the Democratic narrative that he had incensed his followers to violently storm the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6, 2021, in an effort to overturn the results of the Presidential Election.
Trump had been previously banned from the popular microblogging website since January 8, 2021.
Two tweets in particular that Philipp highlighted both featured Trump imploring rioters at the Capitol Building to refrain from violence and to show respect to law enforcement.
The first tweet, issued at 2:28 p.m. – over an hour after the riot first started – stated, “Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement. They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful!”
The second tweet, sent at 3:33 p.m., said, “I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence! Remember, WE are the Party of Law & Order – respect the Law and our great men and women in Blue. Thank you!”
These tweets, Philipp maintained – along with a video statement released after the event – proved that Trump’s intentions were never to drive his followers to storm the Capitol Building, saying “Is that inciting violence?”
However, some critics say a condemnation of Mike Pence on the day of the riots for not refusing to certify Joe Biden’s win, reportedly put the then-Vice President’s life in danger.
Defenders of Trump also note that the former President never directly called for any lawbreaking or violence at the rally, instead saying to his supporters at one point,
“I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”
– President Trump, January 6, 2021
A Democratic-led House Committee is currently investigating the origins and causes of the January 6 riots; when the new GOP-majority Congress convenes in 2023, it is unknown if the investigation will continue beyond that point.
or a specific category with our 