Trump turned on Capitol rioters when they made him 'look like an idiot' and thought they were Democrat infiltrators, new book claims
- 'This looks terrible,' said Trump as he watched the Jan. 6 violence unfold, according to new book
- 'These aren’t our people, these idiots with these outfits,' he said, adding that they looked like Democrats
- Michael Wolff offers detailed account of how the day unfolded in 'Landslide: The Final Days of the Trump Presidency'
- It describes how advisers urged him to call on supporters to go home
A new book offers a blow-by-blow account of how President Trump responded on the day his supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol
In the aftermath of violence that rocked the nation's capital, hours after hundreds demonstrators attacked the U.S. Capitol, and as his power slipped away, President Trump turned on his supporters.
'This looks terrible. This is really bad,' he told an aide by telephone after watching television coverage of his fans ransacking the Capitol and as his small team tried to work out a survival strategy.
'These aren’t our people, these idiots with these outfits.
'They look like Democrats.'
The smell of marijuana hung over clumps of protesters, many of whom had dressed for the occasion - some in camouflage gear, some in jackets made from flags, one as Abraham Lincoln and, in images that came to define the protests, another in a horned headdress.
A new book details how Trump responded to unfolding events on Jan. 6, when Vice President Mike Pence refused to follow his orders in overturning election results, and a mob of Trump supporters attacked police officers and stormed the Capitol complex.
Former President Trump addresses supporters at his first rally since leaving the White House. A new book reveals how he turned on his own fans after watching the violence unfold at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6
'These aren’t our people, these idiots with these outfits. They look like Democrats,' said Trump, according to a new book by Michael Wolff entitled 'Landslide: The Final Days of the Trump Presidency'
Trump ignored or declined to send messages urging his supporters to leave the violent protesters. Instead he reiterated calls for peace as he continued to fume that the election was stolen from him
In 'Landslide: The Final Days of the Trump Presidency' author Michael Wolff delivers a blow-by-blow account.
As the extent of the violence became clear, advisers urged the president to post a Twitter statement that would encourage people to go home, according to an excerpt published by New York magazine.
'Bad apples, like ANTIFA or other crazed leftists, infiltrated today’s peaceful protest over the fraudulent vote count,' said one, using the voice of Trump.
'Violence is never acceptable! MAGA supporters embrace our police and the rule of law and should leave the Capitol now!'
The other said: 'The fake news media who encouraged this summer’s violent and radical riots are now trying to blame peaceful and innocent MAGA supporters for violent actions.
'This isn’t who we are! Our people should head home and let the criminals suffer the consequences!'
In the event, according to Wolff, he ignored both as he continued to fume that the election had been stolen from him.
In calls to allies he sought assurances that coverage of the protests was overblown.
The book recounts how one of his key advisers was watching the trouble unfold from his home in Arlington, Virginia.
Protesters dressed like superheros, militiamen, veterans of the American Revolution and as Abraham Lincoln
Jason Miller began drafting a statement that would essentially do what Trump had not done so far: Concede that Joe Biden won.
He spoke to Chief of Staff Mark Meadows before speaking to Trump himself.
'How bad is this?' Trump asked, diverging from his usual tactic of seeking assurances that everything was perfect.
'Mr. President, today is literally going to change everything,' said Miller, according to the account.
At that point, Trump turned on his supporters who were all over the TV attacking the Capitol, calling them 'idiots with these outfits.'
The first lady then joined in the call on speakerphone.
'The media is trying to go and say this is who we are,' she said. 'We don’t support this.'
'That’s what we have to make clear,' said Miller, as he read a proposed draft statement.
As they haggled over whether to talk about an 'orderly' or 'peaceful' transition, Trump apparently began to realize that the statement was not just about the protesters. It was about his conduct too.
'The media thinks I’m not going to leave,' he said. 'Do they really think that? That’s crazy.'
Miller responded: 'We’ve never laid that out. I really can’t stress enough how much we have to make it clear that we’re fully onboard with an orderly transition.'
With the president's Twitter account suspended earlier in the day, they had to sent it out via Dan Scavino, Trump's social media guru.
