Tipsheet

Trump Just Confirmed What We Already Knew About J6

President Donald Trump confirmed what many already believed about the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol Building. 

During a Wednesday interview with the New York Post’s Miranda Devine, Trump affirmed that federal informants infiltrated the crowd that showed up to hear him speak and helped to incite violence at the Capitol building. “Just so you understand, these are people that have been decimated,” he said, referring to those who were railroaded over Jan. 6. “These are people that lost their lives over nonsense, where the FBI said, ‘go in, go in, police, go in, go into the van.’”

He continued, noting that many of the defendants “were supposed to serve five years, 10 years in jail” and that “people committed suicide.”

“These were many great people,” Trump said. “And I gave them pardons. I’m very proud to have given them pardons. And I think they should be reimbursed for a crooked government.”

After the riot occurred, it was later revealed that about 26 confidential human sources with the FBI were among the protesters who showed up to demonstrate against the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. The informants were ostensibly there to provide the FBI  with information about possible crimes. 

A Justice Department review showed that three of the informants had been asked by the FBI to go to D.C. and spy on  certain groups that could cause problems. The others were there to gather information or for personal reasons.

However, many claimed that at least some of these informants acted as agitators, pushing the crowd to storm the Capitol building and fight with police. Video footage allegedly shows informants goading people into pushing into the building. The DOJ’s Inspector General said the informants did not encourage illegal acts. However, four of them entered the building without approval.

Still, suspicions have remained. Given the FBI’s history, it’s no surprise folks might be skeptical. It conducted similar operations against various civil rights groups in the 1960s. It was instrumental in the supposed plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The Bureau also used informants for this purpose against Black Lives Matter groups in Colorado during the George Floyd protests.