President-elect Donald Trump recently called Micki Witthoeft, the mother of Ashli Babbitt, a Jan. 6 rioter who was fatally shot during the Capitol attack, to express his support for her family and other defendants, NBC News reported Thursday. According to the report, Witthoeft shared details of the call during a nightly vigil outside the D.C. jail, where she and others gather to support Jan. 6 defendants.
She explained that Trump called her while she was in the back of an Uber with two other supporters, returning from placing flowers in honor of her daughter. During the call, Trump reportedly said, “Tell them I love them, to keep their chins up.”
Witthoeft, who has previously been arrested for blocking traffic during a Jan. 6 anniversary protest, told the crowd at the vigil, “I know that he is still thinking about these guys, and I have a feeling it is going to be a happy day for us.” Ashli Babbitt, an Air Force veteran from southern California, was among the rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to prevent the certification of President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory.
She was shot by a Capitol Police officer while attempting to climb through a broken window into the speaker’s lobby, where members of Congress were evacuating. Babbitt later died at a hospital from her injuries. The Capitol Police conducted an investigation into the shooting and determined it was within proper policy, concluding that the officer acted to protect members of Congress.
Despite this finding, Babbitt has been celebrated as a martyr by some on the far right, who view her death as a politically motivated killing. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) has even suggested that the Justice Department under Trump should prosecute the officer involved for murder.
Trump has embraced the narrative of Babbitt’s martyrdom, often criticizing the Capitol Police for her death. He mentioned the incident during a presidential debate last year, further solidifying her place as a symbol for his supporters. The call highlights Trump’s ongoing engagement with Jan. 6 defendants and their families, reflecting his continued efforts to rally his base around the events of that day and their aftermath.