Former US President Donald Trump promised Monday to release those imprisoned for their participation in the 2021 assault on the Capitol as soon as he returns to power, if he wins the presidential election in November.
“My first actions as the next president will be to close the border (…) and free the wrongly imprisoned January 6 hostages! », Wrote the former American president Monday evening on his Truth Social network, without providing further details.
Mr. Trump has raised the question of his possible return to the White House in the past, pledging during a television program in December not to act like a dictator except on his "first day."
More than 1,350 people charged
In January, during a campaign event in Iowa (North), the billionaire called on Democratic President Joe Biden to “release the hostages”, a term he regularly uses to refer to people incarcerated for their participation in the assault on the temple of American democracy. Rioters, emboldened by Donald Trump and false claims of election fraud, invaded the Capitol on January 6, 2021 to try to prevent the transfer of power to Joe Biden.
Some 1,358 people have been charged since that date, according to the latest figures from the Ministry of Justice released last week. Around 500 individuals were sentenced to prison terms.
Mr. Trump is the subject of four criminal proceedings, including two for allegedly trying to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in his favor, after his defeat by Joe Biden. The former president is almost assured of receiving the Republican nomination for the presidential election, since his last rival, Nikki Haley, threw in the towel on Wednesday.
