Trump operatives plan to attack rivals for not embracing Capitol rioters

Politico is reporting that allies of former President Donald Trump plan to criticize rival 2024 presidential candidates for being insufficiently supportive of the people who violently stormed the United States Capitol building, chanted for the hanging of Vice President Mike Pence, and sent lawmakers fleeing for their lives.

Specifically, the publication cites pro-Trump GOP strategist Alex Bruesewitz, who says that all of Trump's rivals have shown that they "don't care" about January 6 defendants because "they hate Trump and his base."

The report notes that Trump's GOP rivals have been reluctant to criticize him for inciting a violent mob to attack the Capitol, although GOP strategist Mark Graul argues that's because they think avoiding talking about January 6th is the best way to ensure Trump is not the party's nominee again in 2024.

"I’m not trying to downplay January 6th and how terrible it was, but really, a lot of us just want to move past this guy, right?" he explained. "We want to move past him, and move past the awfulness, which culminated on January 6th. That was the peak of Trump awfulness."

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For his part, Trump has falsely claimed that the rioters are political prisoners and has vowed to pardon them should he win a second term in the White House.

Trump had the opportunity to pardon the rioters on his way out of the White House in 2021, but declined to do so even as he handed out pardons to political allies such as Steve Bannon.