WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump returned to Washington for the first time since leaving office Tuesday, vigorously repeating his false election claims that sparked the Jan. 6 insurrection at the nearby Capitol.
“It was a catastrophe that election. A disgrace to our country,” he said, insisting despite all evidence that he had won in 2020. “We may just have to do it again,” he said, repeating as he does in all recent appearances the ever-clearer hints that he will run again in 2024.
He received frequent applause and cheers from his audience during a meeting organized by a group of former White House officials and Cabinet members who have been crafting an agenda for a possible second Trump term.
Mr. Trump’s appearance in the nation’s capital — his first trip back since Jan. 20, 2021, when President Joe Biden was sworn into office despite Mr. Trump’s frantic efforts to remain in power — comes as allies have urged him to spend more time talking about his vision for the future and less relitigating the 2020 election as he prepares to announce an expected 2024 White House campaign.
Mr. Trump spoke hours after former Vice President Mike Pence, a potential 2024 rival, outlined his own “Freedom Agenda “ in a speech nearby.
While the former president remains consumed by the election he falsely claims was stolen from him a year and a half ago, Mr. Pence again implored conservatives to stop looking backward and focus on the future as he mulls his own.
“Some people may...
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