On January 6, 2021, supporters of then US President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol in Washington to prevent the confirmation of the presidential election results and the announcement of Joe Biden’s victory. The extent to which Trump wanted to influence the election result in advance is controversial.

According to then Vice President Mike Pence, the former US Prime Minister had urged him in advance to overturn the election results. Pence chaired the January 6 meeting to confirm the result. As the ex-vice said in an interview with “CNN”, Trump’s lawyers contacted him on January 5 and said: “We want you to reject the votes.”

Trump’s lawyers are said to have urged ex-US Vice President Pence to reject the election results

Trump’s attorney John Lauro, however, presents a different version. Speaking to the CBS news channel on Sunday, he explained that the ex-president had never urged his vice president to reverse the election results. Trump just wanted Pence to wait to confirm the election results to check for possible election fraud. In this context, he only made use of his freedom of speech and expressed his opinion, Lauro explained.

Constitutionally, however, Pence could not have delayed the announcement. In addition, several courts and the US Attorney General had already proven by this time that the election had not been rigged.

Former US President charged with attempting to influence election results

Trump was indicted last week on charges of attempting to influence the outcome of the election. According to the 45-page indictment, “Time“, the ex-president is said to have accused his vice-president of “being too honest” a few days before the storming of the Capitol. In the course of the proceedings, it will also be examined to what extent the American incited his supporters to storm the government building.