Calls January 6 hearings 'unhinged insurrection hoax,' attacks Pence for lacking 'courage'

Speaking at the Faith & Freedom Forum in Nashville, Tennessee, Trump dismissed the ongoing January 6 congressional hearings as an "unhinged insurrection hoax," repeating his pattern of calling credible investigations into his conduct political persecution. He attacked Mike Pence for refusing to reject the 2020 election certification: "Mike Pence had a chance to be great. He had a chance to be frankly historic. Mike, and I say it sadly because I like him, but Mike did not have the courage to act." Trump was criticizing Pence's refusal to illegally overturn the election results as Trump had demanded. Trump also repeated false election fraud claims, telling the crowd: "It's much harder for them to cheat when we have landslides." The speech demonstrated Trump's continued attacks on democratic institutions and those who upheld their constitutional duties.

"Mike Pence had a chance to be great. He had a chance to be frankly historic...but Mike did not have the courage to act." — Faith & Freedom Forum speech, Nashville, Tennessee, June 17, 2022