Trump to host awards gala honoring "incredible courage and sacrifice" of Jan. 6 defendants

Just one day after lengthy footage of violent insurrectionists storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 was shown to attendees and remote viewers of the Democratic National Convention, word has begun to circulate that former president Donald Trump will be hosting a gala event in their honor in September at his Bedminster, New Jersey country club.

A flyer for the "J6 Awards Gala" reported on by MTN lists Rudy Giuliani as a guest speaker for the event where "attendees will have a chance to win a plaque commemorating the MAGA community's purchase of numerous copies of Trump's 'Justice for All' song," with the event description reading: "We gather to pay tribute...to all J6 defendants who have shown incredible courage and sacrifice."

On Wednesday, Sergeant Aquilino Gonell — a retired United States Capitol Police Officer — spoke at the DNC about the events of Jan. 6, which took a toll on him personally, both emotionally as well as physically, saying he "nearly died" that day after being beaten by rioters wielding a pole attached to an American flag.

"I had seen violence while serving in Iraq, but nothing, nothing prepared me for Jan. 6." Gonell said.

Watch the Capitol riot footage shown at the DNC here:

Per Huffington Post, a video promoting the J6 Awards Gala features Trump praising the Capitol riot defendants, saying, “They ought to release the J6 hostages. They’ve suffered enough. I call them hostages. Some people call them prisoners. I call them hostages."

Tickets for the event start at $1,500 and are intended to "help cover costs and support the defendants and their families, with exclusive benefits and recognition at the gala."