AG Garland issues stark warning about prosecuting Trump over January 6 but says he will hold ‘anyone who was criminally responsible’ to account and will ‘pursue justice without fear’

  • Attorney General Merrick Garland did not rule out prosecuting former President Donald Trump for his role in January 6 in a new interview with NBC’s Lester Holt 
  • ‘We intend to hold everyone, anyone who was criminally responsible for the events surrounding January 6 … accountable,’ Garland said 
  • Holt pointed out to Garland that prosecuting a former president or a potential presidential candidate could ‘arguably tear the country apart’ 
  • ‘Do you have to think of things like that?’ the NBC Nightly News anchor asked Garland 
  • Garland spoke in vague terms, saying, ‘Look, we pursue justice without fear or favor’ 

Attorney General Merrick Garland did not rule out prosecuting former President Donald Trump for his role in January 6 in a new interview with NBC’s Lester Holt. ‘We intend to hold everyone, anyone who was criminally responsible for the events surrounding January 6, for any attempt to interfere with the lawful transfer of power from one administration to another, accountable,’ Garland said. ‘That’s what we do.’ In a clip previewing the interview, which will air Tuesday night on NBC’s Nightly News, Holt pointed out to Garland that prosecuting a former president or a potential presidential candidate could ‘arguably tear the country apart.’ Holt asked Garland how much he factored that in to his decision to prosecute. ‘Do you have to think of things like that?’ the NBC Nightly News anchor asked. In his answer, Garland spoke in vague terms.