Trump rails against Jan. 6 probe at Iowa town hall: ‘It bothers me’

Former President Trump on Tuesday railed against a Justice Department investigation into his efforts to remain in power after losing the 2020 election, hours after he said he was a target of the probe.

Trump, in his first on-camera comments on the investigation, told Fox News’s Sean Hannity during a town hall in Iowa that he was bothered by the timing of the notification. He went on to repeat his claims that he is being targeted because of his standing in the GOP presidential primary race.

“It bothers me. It bothers me for everybody in this incredible, sold-out audience, and it bothers you,” the former president said in front of the overwhelmingly pro-Trump crowd.

“I got the letter on Sunday night. Think of it. I don’t think they’ve ever sent a letter on Sunday night,” Trump continued. “And they’re in a rush, because they want to interfere. It’s interference with the election. It’s election interference. Never been done like this in the history of our country, and it’s a disgrace.”

Trump complained that the Department of Justice “has become a weapon for Democrats,” and he blasted special counsel Jack Smith as a “deranged” prosecutor. Smith is overseeing the investigations into Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, as well as Trump’s handling of classified documents after leaving office.

Trump said Tuesday morning on Truth Social that he was alerted he is a target of the Justice Department’s investigation focusing on his efforts to stay in power after losing the 2020 election, which culminated in the riots at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Receiving a target letter is often a sign someone could soon face charges in a matter where prosecutors have gathered substantial evidence. It’s unclear what specific charges Trump could face if prosecutors decide to move ahead.

Trump pursued a multi-pronged plan to remain in office, pressuring the Justice Department and state officials about claims of election fraud, ultimately rallying his supporters on Jan. 6 and urging them to march to the Capitol before rioters ransacked the complex in an effort to halt the certification process.

Separately, Michigan’s attorney general Tuesday charged 16 “fake electors” for their alleged roles in a plot to overturn the 2020 presidential election. 

Hannity also invited Trump on Tuesday to air grievances about the Biden administration and the state of the country, including the border, foreign policy and a recent controversy over a bag of cocaine found near where visitors enter for tours of the West Wing.

When Hannity prodded Trump to advocate for Republicans voting early, the former president said he would support the effort, but cautioned that even early voting with paper ballots can be subject to fraud.

“We have very corrupt elections, we have no borders,” Trump said. “If you don’t have borders and you don’t have good elections, you don’t have a country.”