Donald Trump says January 6 committee members should be jailed, Cheney condemns his remarks

President-elect Donald Trump, in his first broadcast news interview since winning the election, has called for the imprisonment of members of the House committee that investigated the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.

Trump specifically targeted Rep. Bennie Thompson, the Democrat who chaired the committee, and former Rep. Liz Cheney, the Republican vice chair who was ousted after breaking ranks with him, speaking to NBC’s Meet the Press. Trump alleged that the committee deleted evidence related to its investigation, which the committee has denied.

“For what they did, honestly, they should go to jail,” Trump said. Despite his statement, he added that he would not instruct his administration to prosecute them, focusing instead on his policy priorities like energy independence.

Cheney responds

Liz Cheney quickly rejected Trump’s statement, emphasizing that his suggestion was a direct attack on democracy. “Donald Trump attempted to overturn the 2020 presidential election and seize power. This was the worst breach of our Constitution by any president in our nation’s history,” her statement reportedly said. Cheney criticized Trump’s actions as undermining the rule of law and constitutional principles.

Adam Schiff and Kinzinger push back

Democrat Adam Schiff defended the committee’s efforts on social media. “Threats to jail us will not deter us. Nothing will stop me from doing my duty to the American people,” Schiff wrote on X.

Former Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger, another committee member, also criticized Trump’s remarks. “We did nothing wrong. The January 6 Committee’s work was driven by facts, the Constitution, and the pursuit of accountability,” Kinzinger said. Adding that Trump’s calls were vindictive, Kinzinger showed no fear, stating, “I’m not intimidated by a man whose actions on January 6th showed a cowardly disregard for democracy and the rule of law.”

Political implications

Trump’s statement highlights a continued rift between him and members of the January 6 committee. His calls for jail time mark yet another escalation in the political division as the nation processes the aftermath of the 2020 election and the January 6 investigation.