Tipsheet

Trump Pulls Out the Receipts When CNN Asks About His J6 Response

Former President Trump was fully prepared to address questions about the Jan. 6 Capitol riot during a town hall event with CNN on Wednesday. 

“When they went to the Capitol and they were breaking into the Capitol, smashing windows, injuring police officers, why did it take you three hours to tell them to go home?” CNN’s Kaitlan Collins asked.

The 45th president then reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out printed records of his tweets from Jan. 5 and Jan. 6.

“I don’t believe it did. Oh, let me pull it out. I have to pull it out,” he said. “On Jan. 5, the day before, I said, ‘Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement. They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful!'”

He then read a tweet from 2:38 p.m. on Jan. 6, which was 18 minutes after the Capitol Building went into lockdown, according to a timeline from NPR, which shows an “initial wave of protesters storms the outer police barrier around the Capitol” at around 1 p.m.

Shortly after, he sent another tweet urging people to “remain peaceful.”

Watch the exchange below: