• Donald Trump said he would issues pardons and a government apology to Capitol rioters if he retakes the presidency 
  • The former president also said that he has met with rioters in his office
  • Revealed he is financially helping some of these supporters

Donald Trump said he would issue pardons to his supporters who stormed the Capitol last year if he wins back the presidency – and said he has met with some of the defendants.

Trump has not yet declared if he is running for president in 2024, but has hinted several times at the move and told supporters at several rallies they would be happy with his decision.

‘I mean full pardons with an apology to many,’ the former president told conservative radio host Wendy Bell Thursday morning.

Issuing a government apology and granting pardons would be contingent on him regaining his seat in the Oval Office.

Trump says that he has met this week with some of the defendants in the case against those who rioted at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

He even revealed to Bell in the Thursday morning interview that he is helping some of the defendants in terms of financially dealing with the fallout.

‘I am financially supporting people that are incredible and they were in my office actually two days ago, so they’re very much in my mind,’ Trump said.

‘It’s a disgrace what they’ve done to them. What they’ve done to these people is disgraceful.’

Many Trump supporters who were identified as participating in the riot that day have been convicted and sentenced to jail time – some up to several years.

The Capitol attack last year left four people dead and more than 140 law enforcement officers were injured.

A fifth casualty of the riot happened the day after when Brian Sicknick, a Capitol Police officer, suffered a stroke after he was sprayed with a powerful chemical irritant during the attack.

Rioters were armed with bear and pepper sprays, flagpoles, baseball bats and stun guns.

Among the rioters sentenced to prison time was Guy Reffitt, 49, a member of the far-right Three Percenters militia from Texas. He was the first Capitol rioter to stand trial, and received a seven year and three month sentence.

Reffitt’s sentencing is the longest given to an insurrectionist.

He was convicted by a grand jury on five felony charges, including bringing a gun onto the Capitol grounds and obstructing an official proceeding.