Trump on 9/11 reposts video of him asking January 6 rioters to go home

After attending the Pentagon to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, President Donald Trump turned his attention to the 5-year-old video posted in the afternoon. This video featured Trump addressing January 6, 2021, rioters who had violently stormed the Capitol building. On Friday, Trump reposted the video on his Truth Social account without any additional context.

The president reiterated his false claim that he had won the 2020 election while urging rioters to leave: "We have to have peace. So go home, we love you, you’re very special."

A White House spokesperson explained that Trump shared the video as a "reminder to everyone that what the Democrats did to weaponize the justice system against President Trump has been debunked thoroughly." It is unclear which specific cases they were referring to. The criminal case against Trump related to the Capitol attack was dismissed due to his victory in the 2024 election.

Recently, Trump has intensified his claims of voter fraud, accusing Democrats of cheating in elections without providing any evidence. During the recent Republican midterm convention, Trump encouraged his audience to "cheat like hell" to maintain Republican control of Congress.

The 1-minute video was widely criticized upon its initial release for being posted hours after the attack commenced and for being excessively sympathetic towards those breaching the Capitol building. When Trump posted the video on Friday, he was also actively promoting his presence at the midterm convention.