Trump Considers Compensation for Capitol Riot Defendants Amid Election Fraud Claims
Trump's Remarks on Capitol Riot Prosecutions
On Sunday, former President Donald Trump indicated he might contemplate compensating individuals prosecuted for their involvement in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. During an interview on NBC's Meet the Press, he reiterated his unfounded assertions regarding election fraud in California. Trump defended a proposed fund aimed at assisting those he believes were unjustly prosecuted for political reasons. When asked by host Kristen Welker if individuals convicted of assaulting police during the Capitol incident should receive taxpayer-funded compensation, he stated, "I wouldn't be inclined to say so, but I have to see it."
Shifting focus to the 2020 election and the recent California elections, Trump questioned the appropriateness of delayed results, asking, "Do you think it's appropriate that they have an election and five days later, they're nowhere close to picking a winner?"
Welker: Do you think anyone who attacks police officers on January 6th should get taxpayer money? Trump: I can tell you this, 97% of those people, you look at them, the FBI or whoever it was, you had a lot of crooked cops. They had FBI agents ushering them in. You had a bunch of… pic.twitter.com/zegiRVj5Jy
— Acyn (@Acyn) June 7, 2026
California's mail-in voting system permits ballots postmarked by election day and received within a week after to be counted, as per state regulations. When Trump accused officials of election fraud, Welker inquired if he had any evidence to back his claims. Trump replied, "All I have to do is look." On May 29, a federal judge temporarily halted the establishment of the fund while legal challenges are underway. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche informed lawmakers on June 2 that the administration was not proceeding with the fund.
However, Trump later stated, "I'll have to ask the lawyers. I don't know," when questioned about the proposal. During the NBC interview, he provided a more robust defense of the initiative, which originated from a settlement he reached after suing the IRS over his tax return disclosures. "Well, look. If it was up to me, I'd pay them the kind of money that they deserve," Trump remarked, emphasizing the severe impact on individuals involved. "People have been destroyed. Lives have been destroyed. Many suicides, think of it. People have committed suicide because a bunch of thugs went after them." He expressed strong support for the fund, arguing that the prosecutions had adversely affected the lives of those who might be eligible for compensation.
Trump continued, stating, "So let — let me explain what the fund is. People have been hurt so badly by radical left lunatics that worked for the Biden administration and Sleepy Joe. They're vicious. They're violent, what they did to people. And, of course, they went after me more than anybody else. They raided Mar-a-Lago and all the other things." He concluded by highlighting the personal losses suffered by many, saying, "They've lost everything over a fake weaponization of government." According to federal authorities, over 1,600 individuals faced charges related to the Capitol riot, with around 1,100 sentenced by the conclusion of the Biden administration.