‘I Don’t Want to Say the Election’s Over’: Trump Outtakes Shown During January 6 Committee Hearing

Storyful

Outtakes of a speech given on January 7 2021 by former US president Donald Trump show that he said, “I don’t want to say the election’s over” in a remark that wasn’t published at the time.

In the published version of the speech, Trump called for a “seamless” transition of power.

Outtakes of the taped speech from Trump were shown during a January 6th Committee on the evening of Thursday, July 21, 2022.

“This election is now over. Congress has certified the results,” Trump says in one of the outtakes, before pausing. “I don’t want to say the election’s over, I just want to say Congress has certified the results without saying the election is over.” Credit: C-SPAN via Storyful

Video Transcript

ELAINE LURIA: We obtained the never-before-seen raw footage of the President recording his address to the nation that day on January 7th, more than 24 hours after the last time he had addressed the nation from the Rose Garden. Let's take a look.

[VIDEO PLAYBACK]

- Whenever you're ready, sir.

- I would like to begin by addressing the heinous attack yesterday. And to those who broke the law, you will pay. You do not represent our movement, you do not represent our country. And if you broke the law-- we can't say that. I'm not going-- I already said you will pay.

The demonstrators who infiltrated the Capitol have defied the seat of-- it's defiled, right? See, I can't see it very well. OK, I'll do this. I'm going to do this. Let's go.

But this election is now over. Congress has certified the results. I don't want to say the election is over. I just want to say Congress has certified the results without saying the election's over, OK?

- But Congress has certified-- now Congress has certified--

- Yeah, right.

- Now, Congress has certified--

- I didn't say, oh, so let me see, go to the paragraph before it. OK? I would like to begin by addressing the heinous attack yesterday-- yesterday is a hard word for me.

- Just take it out. The heinous attack--

- Say heinous attack on our nation.

- Oh, good. Take the word yesterday because it doesn't work with-- the heinous attack on our country. Say on our country. Can we say that?

[INTERPOSING VOICES]

My only goal was to ensure the integrity of the vote. My only goal was to ensure the integrity of the vote.

[END PLAYBACK]

ELAINE LURIA: On January--