Chris LaCivita, Donald Trump's campaign manager, has reportedly removed several posts from his Twitter account that criticized the January 6 Capitol riots. CNN revealed that LaCivita had previously promoted posts condemning the attack on the U.S. Capitol and denouncing falsehoods that led to the violent event.
On January 6, 2021, LaCivita shared a post from former President George W. Bush, who expressed outrage at the riots. Bush's statement condemned the behavior of some political leaders and the lack of respect shown for institutions, law enforcement, and constitutional processes. Bush's message said, "The violent assault on the Capitol – and disruption of a Constitutionally-mandated meeting of Congress – was undertaken by people whose passions have been inflamed by falsehoods and false hopes."
LaCivita's retweet of this statement appeared to show his agreement with Bush's criticism of the riot and the leaders who stoked it. However, his recent deletion of this retweet has sparked attention as Trump's campaign enters its next phase.
CNN also noted that LaCivita liked a post from former Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA), which called for Trump's cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove the former president from office. Comstock believed that such action was necessary to prevent further damage in the aftermath of the Capitol riot.
In addition to these posts, LaCivita promoted a report regarding a text message from a Republican Senate aide. The message read, "This is a disgusting tragedy. Someone literally lost their life because of a lie that Trump told, Cruz/Hawley capitalized on, and fringe media echoed. This is in no way, shape, or form sustainable." This post highlighted concerns about the role misinformation played in the deadly event.
CNN further reported that LaCivita had deleted another tweet in which he described the January 6 rioters as "thugs."
When asked for comment, LaCivita downplayed the significance of his past social media activity. He stated, "Retweets and likes are not endorsements. I'm focused on winning the election two weeks from now, and not distractions from CNN."
As the Trump campaign progresses, LaCivita's social media activity and his views on the Capitol riot are drawing scrutiny. The timing of these deletions raises questions about the campaign's approach toward the events of January 6.
