Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Fox & Friends host blasts Trump for opening Waco rally with J6 choir song: ‘Insane, absolutely awful’

‘I thought that was absolutely awful’

John Bowden
Washington DC
Monday 27 March 2023 22:43 BST
Comments
Ron DeSantis rules out being Donald Trump's running mate

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Donald Trump is once again proving to be too much for Fox News’s hosts to defend after opening his rally in Waco, Texas, with a song performed by participants of the January 6 attack on Congress.

Fox & Friends host Brian Kilmeade laid into the former president on Monday after the moment in question occurred over the weekend.

Mr Trump "opened up with a January 6 video, which is insane,” Kilmeade remarked. “He should be running from that, period.”

He added: “I thought that was absolutely awful."

The song which opened the Saturday rally in Waco was created by a group of rioters charged for their actions in the January 6 attack; the lyrics are a version of The Star-Spangled Banner overlaid with audio of Donald Trump reciting the pledge of allegiance.

The piece has been viewed as a nod to the crowd responsible for maiming police officers in and around the US Capitol and storming the halls of Congress on a violent hunt for US lawmakers.

Proceeds from downloads of the music are being used by conservative activist Ed Henry to raise funds for the legal defences of January 6 defendants.

The location of his rally itself may have been another nod to that faction of Americans; Waco is famously the site of an armed standoff between a religious cult known as the Branch Davidians and federal authorities which ended in a fire killing dozens of cultists.

Mr Trump has pledged to pardon some or all defendants in cases related to the January 6 insurrection should he become president once more in 2024. The Department of Justice has charged more than 1,000 persons with crimes resulting from the attack on the Capitol.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in