Former President Donald Trump claims that he sought advice from multiple attorneys, but ultimately made the decision to contest the outcome of the 2020 election.
Mr. Trump, speaking Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” emphasized his acumen and leadership in challenging the results as he repeated claims the contest was “rigged against him.”
“I made the choice, but I did take into consideration the opinions of others,” stated Mr. Trump during a one-on-one interview with Kristen Welker.
Mr. Trump faces indictments in federal court and Georgia accusing him of conspiring with others, including a series of lawyers, to overturn the 2020 election results in the lead-up to the violence at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He has pleaded not guilty and denies the charges.
Special counsel Jack Smith’s federal indictment highlights Mr. Trump’s involvement and mindset following the election, alleging that he engaged in a conspiracy against the U.S. by deliberately promoting false election claims with the intention of altering the outcome.
The president stated that he considered external advice, but also trusted his personal conviction that the election was unjustly taken away from him.
“I listen to myself. I witnessed the events unfold during the election and observed it until 10 o’clock in the evening,” he informed NBC.
“I rely heavily on my instincts,” he stated. “They have played a significant role in bringing me to my current position. However, I also value the input of others, particularly the advice of numerous lawyers.”
Mr. Trump hired a coterie of lawyers to help him challenge the 2020 results. Some Republicans questioned whether they were pushing crackpot theories, and some of the attorneys were indicted alongside Mr. Trump in Georgia.
The former president expressed his lack of trust in the lawyers from his administration who had been unsuccessful in legal battles, thus seeking advice from new legal counsel.
“I cannot reword”
During the interview, Mr. Trump justified his conversation with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, where he urged officials to discover sufficient votes in his favor, and reiterated his conviction that he emerged as the winner in 2020.
“He claimed victory in the election,” he stated.
