Speaking with MSNBC host Ayman Mohyeldin on Sunday afternoon, a former Homeland Security official who also worked with former Vice President Mike Pence, said news that Donald Trump was acquitted on charges of sedition was greeted with great joy by right-wing extremists who believe there was nothing wrong with the Jan. 6th uprising against the U.S. Government.
Asked about online activity after the news of the ex-president's acquittal after Republicans refused to convict Trump for inciting the riot that led to lawmakers fleeing for their lives, Olivia Troye said that, for groups like the Proud Boys, it was a vindication of their beliefs.
Troye, who served in the National Counterterrorism Center, the Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence, and the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis, was asked, "Let me ask you from your homeland security expertise, and I want to pick up on this statement that was made shortly after his acquittal. Donald Trump said, in part, quote, 'our historic, patriotic and beautiful movement to make America great again has only just begun.'"
"So put on that homeland security adviser hat for us for a moment," the MSNBC host continued. "Does his acquittal in statements like this signal to far-right extremist groups that we've seen him appease to or appeal to in the past like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers? Do you have concerns of them being further emboldened as a result of this?"
"Absolutely," she shot back. "I think that this was a moment where they felt vindicated, and I think you're going to see a lot of these groups say, we were doing what was right for Donald Trump. He was acquitted, he did nothing wrong in that moment, and we are part of this movement."
"And I saw some of the tweets from the Trump family, Don Trump Jr., and those tweets made me sick with the MAGA language and everything because I know how that's going to play out, and I have no doubt they'll be emboldened, and I don't doubt we'll see additional violence along the way, and we'll see this increase in social media and I think that it'll be a challenge for the Biden administration."
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