Trump downplays role on Jan. 6 and says some Capitol rioters are 'innocent'

WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump downplayed his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol during the first presidential debate Thursday, saying some people "asked me to go make a speech," minimizing his involvement in efforts to overturn the election and the summoning of thousands of his followers to Washington for what he promised would be a a "wild" time.

Trump is facing four federal criminal charges in connection with his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, but the case is currently on hold as the Supreme Court decides whether the former president is protected by presidential immunity. He has pleaded not guilty.

When asked about the Capitol attack during the debate, Trump argued that his time in office had been better, saying that on Jan. 6 America "had a great border," "had the lowest taxes ever," "had the lowest regulations ever," and was "respected all over the world."

Right-wing extremists saw Trump's "will be wild" tweet on Dec. 19, 2020, as "a call to arms," and criminal cases brought against rioters and organizers have shown that that tweet set off planning by far-right Trump supporters. But by Trump's telling on Thursday, he played a passive role on Jan. 6, even though he spent the weeks after the election convincing millions of his supporters of the lie that the 2020 presidential election had been stolen.

"They asked me to go make a speech," Trump said during the debate, before suggesting that he knew that such a large crowd could pose a danger.

"I could see what was happening. Everybody was saying they’re going to be there on Jan. 6, they’re going to be there. And I said, 'You know what? There’s a lot of people coming.' You could feel it," Trump said. "You could feel it, too,