In his inaugural post-election television interview, President-elect Donald Trump signaled a return to the White House marked by confrontation and retribution. He expressed a desire to see many of those who investigated him jailed, specifically targeting lawmakers involved in the inquiry into the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
During a 45-minute segment on NBC News’s “Meet the Press,” Trump reiterated his commitment to a hardline immigration policy, vowing to deport all undocumented immigrants along with their legally residing family members. This aggressive stance is consistent with his previous rhetoric, as he aims to reshape the nation’s immigration landscape.
While it is unusual for a leader in a democratic society to call for the imprisonment of political adversaries, Trump has consistently advocated for the prosecution of those he believes have unjustly scrutinized his actions during his first term. “Everybody on that committee … for what they did, yeah, honestly, they should go to jail,” Trump stated, referring to the now-defunct House select committee that investigated the January 6 insurrection.
The committee, which was disbanded when Republicans regained control of the House in January 2023, was composed of seven Democrats and two Republicans, including former Congresswoman Liz Cheney (R-Wyoming). The committee concluded that Trump incited violence among his supporters in an attempt to cling to power after losing the 2020 election. In light of this, there are reports that President Biden is contemplating preemptive pardons for individuals who may face legal challenges from the incoming Trump administration.
Trump’s remarks on “Meet the Press” represent an escalation in his threats against committee members. Previously, he had called for their prosecution, accusing them of “treason.” Cheney, who lost her congressional seat after refusing to support Trump’s efforts to overturn the election results, responded to Trump’s claims, stating, “Here is the truth: Donald Trump attempted to overturn the 2020 presidential election and seize power. He mobilized an angry mob and sent them to the United States Capitol, where they attacked police officers, invaded the building, and halted the official counting of electoral votes.”
Trump’s remarks on “Meet the Press” represent an escalation in his threats against committee members. Previously, he had called for their prosecution, accusing them of “treason.” Cheney, who lost her congressional seat after refusing to support Trump’s efforts to overturn the election results, responded to Trump’s claims, stating, “Here is the truth: Donald Trump attempted to overturn the 2020 presidential election and seize power. He mobilized an angry mob and sent them to the United States Capitol, where they attacked police officers, invaded the building, and halted the official counting of electoral votes.”
Victoria Nourse, a leader at the Center on Congress and Democracy at Georgetown Law, remarked, “Of course this poses a very serious threat to democracy. Kings and despots jail their political opponents.” Cheney further emphasized the lack of legal grounds for Trump’s suggestions, asserting, “There is no conceivably appropriate factual or constitutional basis for what Donald Trump is suggesting — a Justice Department investigation of the work of a congressional committee — and any lawyer who attempts to pursue that course would quickly find themselves engaged in sanctionable conduct.”
Adam Kinzinger, another member of the committee, defended their work, stating, “Let me be clear: we did nothing wrong. The January 6 Committee’s work was driven by facts, the Constitution, and the pursuit of accountability — principles that seem foreign to Trump.”
Trump also expressed disdain for Jack Smith, the Justice Department special counsel investigating allegations of mishandling classified materials and efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. When asked if he wanted to see Smith imprisoned, Trump responded, “I’m not going to instruct her to do it,” referring to Pam Bondi, his pick for attorney general.
Trump indicated that he would not pursue a special prosecutor to investigate Biden unless Bondi and Kash Patel, his choice to lead the FBI, deemed it necessary. “I’m not doing that unless I find something that I think is reasonable,” he said.
Trump says he has no plans to investigate President Biden:
— The American Conservative (@amconmag) December 8, 2024
"I'm not doing that unless I find something reasonable but that's not going to be my decision, that's going to be Pam Bondi's decision and to a different extent Kash Patel."pic.twitter.com/AYZLg0u36n
In a continuation of his controversial rhetoric, Trump reiterated his intention to pardon the January 6 rioters, stating, “They’ve been in there for years, and they’re in a filthy, disgusting place that shouldn’t even be allowed to be open.”
When pressed about conceding the 2020 election for the sake of national unity, Trump firmly replied, “No, why would I do that?” He attributed the nation’s divisions to Biden, claiming, “And I think it really was a bad thing,” referring to Biden’s actions against him.
On economic matters, Trump threatened tariffs on Mexico and Canada, asserting, “If we’re going to subsidize them, let them become a state.” He dismissed concerns that tariffs would raise prices for American consumers, claiming, “I don’t want to be breaking up families, so the only way you don’t break up the family is you keep them together, and you have to send them all back,” in reference to his immigration policy.
🚨President Trump on threatening tariffs until Mexico and Canada pic.twitter.com/Pw7lfMdwo8
— The Dibster (@richarddibX) December 8, 2024
Trump also reiterated his commitment to ending birthright citizenship, stating, “We’re going to have to get it changed. We’ll maybe have to go back to the people. But we have to end it.” He falsely claimed that the United States is “the only country in the world” with such a policy.
In a surprising move, Trump defended his selection of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the nation’s top health official, despite concerns from public health officials. “He’s not looking to, you know, to reinvent the wheel totally,” Trump remarked, adding, “I said, let’s all get together and let’s figure out where we’re going.”
As Trump prepares for his return to the White House, his confrontational approach and controversial policies are sure to shape the political landscape in the coming years.
wasn’t the Jan 6th committee handpicked by pelosi? her instructions were to find a way to indict President Trump, convict him and put him in prison. now they are all running scared that he is coming after them. pelosi would do well to get on a jet to a country without an expedition treaty and go there.
🇩🇰🎄🎓 : FBI 26 informants 2021 January 6 : Send them all in jail / 2024 / 2025 dear Trump 🎄🇩🇰🎓and all democrats involved in the criminal lawless fraud …. There is much more …