Pelosi says Trump ‘wouldn’t have had the courage’ to come to Capitol during Jan 6 riot: ‘He’s all talk’

Speaker responds to Jan 6 committee footage

John Bowden

Washington DC

Tuesday 18 October 2022 22:58 BST

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New Jan 6 footage shows Speaker Pelosi's response as Capitol riot unfolded

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has responded to footage taken of her and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer during the January 6 riot.

The Democratic leader spoke on MSNBC in an interview with Andrea Mitchell after the House select committee investigating January 6 played footage of her responding to news that Donald Trump wanted to come down to the Capitol during the deadly riot started by his supporters.

At the time, Ms Pelosi was heard and seen on video threatening to punch the president in the face if he actually showed up.

“If he comes, I’m gonna punch him out,” she says in the footage, which was shot by her own daughter Alexandra Pelosi as part of a documentary.

“I’ve been waiting for this, for trespassing on the Capitol grounds. I’m gonna punch him out, and I’m gonna go to jail and I’m gonna be happy,” she added.

Speaking on MSNBC, she stood by her remarks.

“I said I would’ve punched him out, I would’ve gone to jail, and I would’ve been happy to do so for our country,” said Ms Pelosi.

“Would you have done it?” Ms Mitchell pressed the speaker.

Nancy Pelosi says she would 'punch out' Donald Trump in new clip from Jan 6

Ms Pelosi hesitated for a moment, then answered: “He wouldn’t have had the courage to come to the Hill. He’s all talk.”

The former president is reported to have grown angry and even lunged at Secret Service agents from the back of his presidential SUV after being informed following his “Stop the Steal” rally that the agents would not permit him to go to the Capitol.

The agency has disputed that characterisation through statements from a Trump-appointed official but notably not under oath, as the claim was initially made by an ex-aide to White House chief of staff Mark Meadows during her sworn congressional testimony.

Mr Trump’s conduct during the January 6 riot has been a top focus of the committee as its lawmakers have presented a case detailing how the president took little to no action even as he watched his vice president and members of Congress hiding in fear for their lives as the Capitol was besieged.

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