WATCH: Trump says his Jan 6 crowd was bigger than Martin Luther King Jr's 'I Have a Dream' gathering

Donald Trump also argued that those arrested after storming the Capitol in 2021 were being treated 'very unfairly'
PUBLISHED AUG 8, 2024
Donald Trump on Thursday, August 8, compared his Jan 6 crowds to Martin Luther King's 'I have a Dream' speech gathering (Getty Images)
Donald Trump on Thursday, August 8, compared his Jan 6 crowds to Martin Luther King's 'I have a Dream' speech gathering (Getty Images)

PALM BEACH, FLORIDA: Former president Donald Trump on Thursday, August 8, claimed that the crowd he addressed on January 6, 2021, was the largest he has ever spoken to, comparing it to the famous 1963 crowd at Martin Luther King Jr's 'I Have a Dream' speech.

Trump also argued that those arrested after storming the Capitol were being treated "very unfairly."



 

Donald Trump says Jan 6 crowd was treated 'very harshly'

The former president made these remarks during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.

Trump confirmed that he has agreed to debate Vice President Kamala Harris three times: September 4 on Fox News, September 10 on ABC, and September 25 on NBC.

When asked whether he believed there would be a peaceful transfer of power after the upcoming election in November, Trump responded by claiming that there had been a peaceful transfer when he lost in 2020 and defended his rally on January 6 outside the White House, which preceded the violence at the Capitol.

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 6: Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as people try to
Donald Trump defended his January 6 rally outside the White House, which preceded the violence at the Capitol (Getty Images)

"I think the people that if you look at Jan. 6, which a lot of people aren’t talking about very much, those people were treated very harshly when you compare them to other things that took place in this country where a lot of people were killed," Trump said at Mar-a-Lago according to The Hill.

Donald Trump says 'nobody was killed' on Jan 6 Capitol Riots 

Donald Trump went on to boast about the size of the crowd he addressed on January 6, claiming it was the largest he had ever spoken before.

"Nobody was killed on Jan. 6. But I think the people of Jan. 6 were treated very unfairly," the former president added.

He said the Jan 6 crowd was "The biggest crowd I’ve ever spoken to before was that day."

"And I’ll tell you, it’s very hard to find a picture of that crowd," Trump said at Mar-a-Lago. "Nobody has spoken to crowds bigger than me."

Comparing the January 6 crowd to the historic gathering at Martin Luther King Jr's 'I Have a Dream' speech, Trump continued, "If you look at Martin Luther King, when he did his speech, his great speech, and you look at ours, same real estate, same everything, same number of people."

1963:  American civil rights campaigner Martin Luther King Jr (1929  - 1968) at a press reception at
Donald Trump compared the January 6 crowd to the historic gathering at Martin Luther King Jr's 'I Have a Dream' speech of 1963 (Getty Images)

"If not, we had more. And they said he had a million people, but I had 25,000 people," Trump said. "And I'm okay with it because I liked Dr. Martin Luther King."

Internet criticizes Donald Trump for comparing crowd size to Martin Luther King Jr's iconic speech

Donald Trump's comments sparked a wave of reactions on social media, with many users criticizing his comparison.

"This guy is so delusional, there were no Confederate terrorist flags and neo-Nazis at MLK's 'I Have a Dream' speech," one user wrote on X.

Another user commented, "He’s so utterly stupid." Others shared similar sentiments, with one writing, "In his dreams."

"Embarrassing," penned one and a different user remarked, "Unbelievable all these lies I’ve been hearing for the past few minutes coming from the mouth of a former American President. #45."

Another defended Trump, stating, "He was comparing the size of the crowd only."



 



 



 



 



 



 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.

GET BREAKING U.S. NEWS & POLITICAL UPDATES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Judges Gregory Katsas and Neomi Rao said that the policy reflected military judgment and constitutional precedent
7 hours ago
The measures will restrict ICE actions at schools, hospitals, and courthouses, while expanding privacy safeguards and legal avenues for migrants
9 hours ago
Jeff Merkley and Catherine Cortez Masto introduced the 'Change Corruption Act', which sought to ban living presidents from appearing on US currency
10 hours ago
The 85,000 visas revoked in 2025 is more than twice the number of those that were canceled last year
21 hours ago
Crockett said: 'Now, there are those who say, ‘Ain’t no way, we done tried this 50 kinds of ways.’ Let me be clear: Y’all ain’t never tried it the JC way.'
1 day ago
Donald Trump’s aid program, aimed at stabilizing agriculture, includes $11 billion in one‑time USDA payments to help growers facing rising costs
1 day ago
Republicans are divided as the ACA subsidy deadline nears, with millions at risk of higher premiums if subsidies expire
1 day ago
Donald Trump advanced a nationwide AI rulebook seeking to override state laws, a move that has fueled legal uncertainty and deepened party divisions
1 day ago
Congress unveiled a $901 billion National Defense Authorization Act that set Pentagon priorities for 2026 by balancing both House and Senate demands
1 day ago
Seth Moulton’s comments come as Democrat lawmakers continue hammering the administration over its handling of the drug boat strikes
1 day ago