Trump lashes out at Biden over Jan. 6 speech

Former President Trump on Thursday responded to President Biden’s fiery speech on the anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, saying the remarks alluding to Trump’s role in the riot deepened political divides in the country.

Trump, in a statement released just as Biden wrapped up his speech in Statuary Hall, called the remarks “political theater.”

“This political theater is all just a distraction for the fact Biden has completely and totally failed,” Trump said. 

Trump said that Biden “used my name today to try to further divide America.” While Biden indirectly blamed Trump for the insurrection and referred to the former president multiple times during the speech, he did not call Trump out by name.

The statement further reiterated Trump’s claims that the 2020 election was rigged, pointing to why the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attacks was “not discussing the rigged Presidential Election of 2020?” and again said the “big lie” was the election itself and not his claims that the result was rigged against him. 

“It’s because they don’t have the answers or justifications for what happened. They got away with something, and it is leading to our Country’s destruction,” Trump claimed. “They want all conversation concerning the Election ‘Canceled.'”

Multiple legal maneuvers by Trump and his allies contesting the election results failed in courts across the country, including all the way up to the Supreme Court. Election results certified by each state were also deemed to be valid. The Jan. 6 riot was an attempt by Trump supporters to stop Congress from counting Electoral College votes that affirmed Biden’s victory.

Biden gave a fiery speech on Thursday, calling Trump a “defeated former president” on the anniversary of the Capitol attack. 

“He’s not just a former president, he’s a defeated former president,” Biden said. “Defeated by a margin of over 7 million of your votes, and a full and free and fair election. There is simply zero proof the election results were inaccurate.”

–Updated at 11:30 a.m.