Hegseth: Antifa Disguised As MAGA Instigated J6 Riot

CNN reports:

President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, justified the January 6, 2021, US Capitol attack and spread baseless conspiracy theories claiming the initial break-in was a false flag operation carried out by leftist groups disguised as Trump supporters.

Four days after the Capitol riot, Hegseth appeared on a podcast hosted by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich called “Newt’s World.” Hegseth, who was then a Fox News host and prominent conservative media figure, downplayed the violence, defended the rioters’ motivations, and criticized the media for rejecting baseless claims of a stolen election.

He also seized on debunked reports claiming that the riot was instigated by the leftist group known as Antifa. Hegseth alleged that he had seen evidence firsthand that Antifa members disguised themselves as Trump supporters at the riot.

Read the full article. Audio below.

Pete Hegseth once claimed that Antifa disguised themselves as Trump supporters and instigated the violence on January 6:

“Antifa folks took advantage of this to try to get to the front and try to agitate and create openings for themselves. They want chaos, ultimately.” pic.twitter.com/1L2IylhUuB

— Republican Voters Against Trump (@AccountableGOP) December 17, 2024