USA (Washington Insider Magazine)— Donald Trump returned to Capitol Hill for the first time since the January 6 riot, where his supporters stormed Congress three years ago. The presumptive Republican nominee for the upcoming presidential election focused on delivering a message of party unity, promising to resolve any internal differences.
Later in the day, Trump met with an association of 200 corporate leaders, after a morning visit to a Republican office building near the Capitol. His arrival was met by protesters holding signs like “failed coup” and “Democracy Forever, Trump Never.”
During a brief news conference, Trump emphasized the strong cohesion within the party and vowed to support all Republicans. “I’m with every one of you. I’ll be with you always,” he said, while reiterating his commitment to “making our country great again.”
Trump did not take questions but waved to a group of supporters who shouted, “I love you,” to which he mouthed, “Thank you.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson praised Trump’s visit, saying, “He brought an extraordinary amount of energy and enthusiasm this morning.” Johnson expressed optimism that the party would win back the White House, the Senate, and expand the House majority in the upcoming election.
Several Republican lawmakers, including Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene, described the atmosphere as overwhelmingly supportive of Trump, with Greene saying she was glad to see Republicans rallying around him.
Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, who has been critical of Trump in the past, called the visit “really positive,” noting the multiple standing ovations Trump received.
Two Trump critics, Senators Mitt Romney and Bill Cassidy, also attended the meeting. Missouri Senator Josh Hawley described the former president as “extremely gracious” and mentioned that Trump spoke extensively about abortion, reaffirming his belief that voters should decide the issue.
During an earlier meeting with House Republicans, Trump reportedly referred to Milwaukee as “horrible.” His spokesman later clarified that the comment was about the city’s crime, not the city itself. Milwaukee, set to host the Republican National Convention in a month, has seen a significant decline in violent crime over the past two years, despite having set homicide records in recent years.
Wisconsin Rep Derrick Van Orden said Trump’s remarks focused on the city’s crime, not the upcoming election. However, Politico reported that Trump had called Speaker Johnson, urging him to help reverse his conviction in New York on falsifying business records. The conviction, involving 34 counts, was not discussed during Trump’s meetings with Republicans.
More than three years ago, Trump urged his supporters to “fight like hell” on January 6, though he also called for peaceful protest as Congress certified Joe Biden’s election win. Former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi criticized Trump’s return, calling him the “instigator of an insurrection” and saying his visit carried the same intent of undermining democracy.
