MSNBC’s Jen Psaki Tears Into Trump For ‘Embracing Political Violence’ While Biden ‘Rejects It’ Amid Jan. 6 Anniversary

MSNBC host Jen Psaki torched former President Donald Trump for “embracing political violence” while President Joe Biden “rejects it” in a commentary contrasting their dueling speeches on the anniversary of January 6.

Trump added insult to injury by delivering speeches on Saturday — the anniversary of the insurrection he incited — calling the insurrectionists “hostages” and demanding President Joe Biden release them.

And on Friday afternoon, Biden delivered a blistering speech pegged to the January 6 insurrection that included hitting Trump for echoing Nazis.

On Sunday’s edition of MSNBC’s Inside With Jen Psaki, Psaki opened her show by accusing Trump of being the “pro-insurrection candidate”:

JEN PSAKI, MSNBC HOST: Okay, I really believe that sometimes we all just need to acknowledge how insane this moment we’re living in really is. Think about it this way.

Friday was, of course January 5, one day before the third anniversary of the January 6 insurrection incited by the former president.

It was also the same day as a major speech by the sitting President about the danger that the former president still poses to democracy.

And then on that same day, the United States Supreme Court announced it will hear a case on whether that former President can even be on the ballot because of his role in the insurrection. All in one day.

It’s also important not to lose sight of how we arrived at this moment and why we arrived at this moment. The Supreme Court is taking up this unprecedented case because of the unprecedented actions of Donald Trump. That’s why, and we’re going to spend lots of time today talking about the specifics of that case and about the 14th Amendment.

But even if the justices do leave Donald Trump on the ballot, his position as the pro-insurrection candidate isn’t really in doubt, is it? I mean, take Trump’s appeal to the Supreme Court earlier this week.

Andrew Weissman is going to join me later in the show, tweeted this about that filing. “Any normal person would lead this brief by saying I did not engage in insurrection. But since Trump is embracing that conduct and not condemning it, he relegates that to a later aside.”

That’s exactly the point. Justices very well may leave him on the ballot. We don’t know. But Trump isn’t even denying the core argument against him, is not running from the insurrection.

He’s embracing it. He is called January 6, a beautiful day. He’s referred to the rioters as patriots. He has said he will pardon many of them. He’s even played the version of the Star Spangled Banner sung by imprisoned insurrectionists at his rallies just this weekend, three years to the day since he incited that violent mob.

He called on President Biden to release the January 6 “hostages,” as he called them.

And that’s exactly the point that President Biden made in his speech on Friday, that this race is between someone who supports what happened that day, and someone who does not. That’s what it’s about. And that contrast should tell the American people what kind of President each of them would be.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: Donald Trump’s campaign is about him. Not America, not you.

Donald Trump’s campaign is obsessed with the past, not the future. He’s willing to sacrifice our democracy to put himself in power. Trump will not do what an American president must do. He refuses to denounce political violence.

So here me clearly. I’ll say with Donald Trump, political violence is never ever acceptable in the United States political system, never, never never! It has no place in a democracy! None! You can’t be pro-insurrectionist and pro-American!

(END VIDEO)

PSAKI: You can’t be pro-insurrectionist and pro-American. That’s pretty straightforward. So yes, the instruction was three years ago, but it is not in our past. It is very much a part of our present and our future, depending on what happens. It’s already become a centerpiece of the 2024 campaign. both Donald Trump and Joe Biden are essentially running on January 6, but in vastly different ways. One looks at the events of that day, the death, the destruction, the literal and figurative attack on the rule of law, and celebrates it, and one is firmly against it. One stands with the Constitution, and one said he wants to suspend it. One supports democracy and one ignores it. One embraces political violence, and one rejects it. That is really what it all boils down to. And this weekend has served as an important reminder of that.

Watch above via MSNBC’s Inside With Jen Psaki.