Trump says he will pardon supporters who stormed US Capitol on Jan. 6 if he wins in 2024

Former President Donald Trump on Saturday night held a Save America rally in Texas, where he took shots at several Democrats and teased a 2024 presidential candidacy by saying he will give “pardons” to his supporters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 last year if he runs and wins in 2024.

Trump made the comments in front of thousands of supporters, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas attorney general Ken Paxton, at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds in Conroe, Texas.

“Another thing we’ll do, and so many people have been asking me about it, if I run and if I win, we will treat those people from Jan. 6 fairly,” Trump said, eliciting applause. “We will treat them fairly. And if it requires pardons, we will give them pardons. Because they are being treated so unfairly.” 

“This hasn’t happened to all of the other atrocities that took place recently,” Trump continued, appearing to talk about crime across the United States. “Nothing like this has happened. What that ‘unselect committee’ is doing and what the people are doing who are running those prisons is a disgrace. It’s a disgrace. We will treat them fairly.”

A little over a year ago, lawmakers were forced to evacuate the U.S. Capitol and temporarily suspend the certification of the Electoral College results as rioters plowed through police perimeters and breached the building and occupied it for several hours. 

Former President Donald Trump pauses as he speaks at a rally Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, in Florence, Ariz. 
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia charged more than 700 people across the country for their alleged participation in the riot, including at least 81 current or former service members, CBS News reported. About 275 Capitol riot defendants have…