Donald Trump promises to release Capitol rioters if re-elected

Europe 1 with AFP 9:48 a.m., March 12, 2024

Former US President Donald Trump promised on Monday to release those imprisoned for their participation in the assault on the Capitol in 2021 as soon as he returns to power, in the event of victory in the presidential election in November.

“My first measures as the next president will be to close the border (...) and release the January 6 hostages wrongly imprisoned!”, wrote the former American president Monday evening on his Truth Social network, without provide more details.

In the past, Donald Trump has already raised the question of his possible return to the White House, pledging during a television program in December not to act like a dictator except on his "first day".

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.

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1,358 people charged

Rioters, emboldened by Donald Trump and false claims of electoral 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 published last week.

Around 500 individuals were sentenced to prison terms.

Donald Trump is the target of four criminal proceedings, including two for allegedly trying to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in his favor, after his defeat against 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.