Late night hosts marvel at Trump's brazen Jan. 6 riot confessions

published 1 February 2022

"Over the weekend, former President Trump held a rally in Texas where he talked about running for president and said that if he won, he might pardon the Jan. 6 rioters," Jimmy Fallon said on Monday's Tonight Show. "Even the rioters were like, 'Oh, no, I don't think you can say that. No.' Yeah, there's no better way to announce a presidential run than saying: 'I'll empty the jails!'"

Trump said "he will consider pardoning the people charged with participation in the Capitol attack," Seth Meyers said on Late Night. "'In that case, I was there,' said Ghislaine Maxwell."

Seriously, "what a weird platform to run on for president: 'I will pardon violent criminals,'" Stephen Colbert said on The Late Show. "While the Jan. 6 select committee continues to look for the cause of the Capitol riot, the cause admitted to everything and threatened to do it again."

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"A bipartisan group of senators is trying to make sure it never happens again," Colbert said, and he had a 7-year-old read Trump's telling response. "He just said the secret words, 'Overturn the election!' That's admitting he tried to stage a violent coup. Johnny, tell the people what he gets!'" You may be disappointed with the answer.

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"Donald Trump is the greatest con man of all time," Trevor Noah marveled on The Daily Show. "He could have pardoned all his people when Jan. 6 happened," but "he let them get prosecuted, and now they're all going to jail." And now Trump wants more. "You gotta admit, Trump leans on his supporters really hard," he said. "I mean, first they had to storm the Capitol because he lost the election. Then their donations went to his legal fees, because he's always getting sued. Now they have to protest if he gets charged?" Noah suggested an uncomfortable next step if Trump goes to jail.

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Jimmy Kimmel laughed at Trump's assertion New York and Georgia prosecutors are going after his fans. "No, they're after you," he said on Kimmel Live. "You know, personally, if I had gotten away with trying to overthrow democracy, I'd be quiet about it, I'd shut up. But Donald Trump isn't capable of that." He compared Trump's new defense of the Jan. 6 rioters versus his condemnation on Jan. 7. "Now I don't know which Donald Trump to believe!" Kimmel deadpanned.

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The Late Show also created its own Spotify playlist in homage to Joe Rogan.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.