Former Republican congressman Charlie Dent criticized former President Donald Trump for reposting a message to Jan. 6 Capitol rioters on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Dent stated on CNN that Sept. 11 is a day for honoring victims and their families and is not a time for political statements. He argued that the 2001 terrorist attacks and the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection are fundamentally different events.
"9/11 was about a terrorist attack designed to disrupt our way of life. January 6 was a mob trying to prevent the peaceful transfer of power," Dent said. "The two really aren’t related, as far as I’m concerned. And frankly, from a political standpoint, I don’t know why you would try to mix your messages."
While Trump did not visit Ground Zero on Friday, he appeared at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and delivered a speech. Instead, he posted several messages on his Truth Social platform. One of these was a video urging rioters from the Jan. 6 insurrection to "go home in peace."
Political commentator Van Jones questioned Trump's decision to post the message, noting that the rioters were not patriots or heroes. Jones suggested that Trump might be out of sync with the American public, who he believes are not focused on Jan. 6 matters on such a day.
Dent echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that Sept. 11 should be a "solemn day of remembrance." He added, "It’s about the victims. It’s about the families. We should be thinking of them, and not getting onto other issues, and especially one like that."