New York City Cops Don’t Seem To Know That Trump Salutes And Honors Police-Assaulters

NEW YORK — Donald Trump, who is accused of dozens of felonies and literally salutes violent rioters who assaulted police officers, has nevertheless been treated like a hero by New York City police officers during his criminal trial — possibly because many are unaware of his pledge to pardon those who attacked officers during his Jan. 6, 2021, coup attempt.

“That’s news to me,” said one on a lower Manhattan street corner that the former president’s motorcade had just driven past.

“I had not heard that,” said another near the parked black shuttle buses that have been ferrying Trump’s congressional supporters — who attack the trial judge and district attorney on his behalf — to and from Trump Tower.

In fact, of two dozen New York City police officers interviewed by HuffPost within a few blocks of the Centre Street courthouse where a jury will soon decide his fate, only one said he knew that Trump routinely honors the Jan. 6 police-assaulters and plans to pardon them.

“I don’t think that should happen,” said the officer who, like the others, spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to talk to the press while in uniform and on duty. “I think that sets a bad example. If you do a crime, you should be held accountable for it.”

At his rallies, the former and would-be future president stands at attention and even salutes while a recording of the national anthem, sung by Jan. 6 jail detainees who violently assaulted police on that day, is played over the loudspeakers. In speech after speech, he has called those accused and, in many cases, convicted of felonies “hostages” and “political prisoners,” and has vowed to grant them pardons if he is elected.

Trump, who faces 88 felony charges himself, throughout his