SMEAR: ABC Pushes BBC-Like Doctored Trump January 6th Clip

Jorge Bonilla
May 19th, 2026 12:14 AM

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The Elitist Media’s network evening news collectively whined over the Department of Justice’s announcement of a nearly $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund intended to redress the grievances of those who claim to have been targeted by the Biden Department of Justice. ABC saw this as an opportunity to doctor President Donald Trump’s January 6th speech, as did the BBC.

Watch as ABC splices Trump's speech and fabricates a quote out of whole cloth:

RACHEL SCOTT: President Trump told his supporters to march to the Capitol.

DONALD TRUMP: We’re going to walk down to the Capitol (VIDEO SWIPE) because you'll never take back our country with weakness.

Anyone distracted with a phone or not watching the screen at that time can well have not seen the swipe effect, and believe that the spliced video is an actual quote (the video portions are several seconds apart). If this seems familiar, it is because the BBC infamously spliced portions of Trump’s J6 speech for a documentary:

ABC’s egregious video was published in service of a January 6th narrative against the establishment of the DoJ fund. And ABC weren’t the only ones to push this narrative line. CBS did so also, at the end of a report on Thomas Massie’s primary election: 

CBS EVENING NEWS

5/18/26

6:42 PM

TONY DOKOUPIL: Speaking of, the president today withdrew a $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS, this all tied to the leak of his tax returns and the settlement involves the creation of a $1.8 billion fund. What do you know about that?

ED O’KEEFE: That’s right. The Justice Department calls it an anti-weaponization fund and says that the money will be used to compensate people who claimed they were targeted by the Biden Justice Department or by Democrats. The DoJ says the fund will have the power to issue monetary relief owed to claimants. Democrats are worried this is going to be used as some kind of slush fund and could also be used by those who have been charged or convicted of crimes associated with the January 6th insurrection. Tony.

DOKOUPIL: Ed, thank you very much.

NBC went the same route, hyperfocusing on January 6th. Here’s the report submitted by Kelly O’Donnell:

NBC NIGHTLY NEWS

5/18/26

6:41 PM

TOM LLAMAS: We want to head to Washington now, and a growing controversy over the Trump administration's move to create a $1.7 billion fund to compensate people they say were wrongly prosecuted by the Biden administration. Kelly O'Donnell joins us now, and this is all in exchange for President Trump dropping lawsuits?

KELLY O’DONNELL: Tom, this is an extraordinary legal drama that involves the president dropping his multiple lawsuits against the federal government, including against the IRS for a leak of his tax returns. But in exchange, the Trump administration today created what it calls an anti-weaponization fund. Using more than $1.7 billion of taxpayer money that could pay out compensation to Trump allies who say they were unfairly prosecuted by the Biden administration. Possibly including January 6th rioters who were pardoned by President Trump. Democrats are calling this “corrupt” and “an abuse of power.” Tom.

LLAMAS: All right, Kelly O’Donnell at The White House for us. Kelly, we thank you for that.

Same formula, same January 6th arguments. All of this by design.

By making the fund about January 6th, the Elitist Media paper over the many other weaponizations of government carried out by the Biden administration. You’ll note the zero mentions of FACE Act prosecutions. Mark Houck was dragged out of his home and in front of his family by federal agents, only to be found not guilty of violating the FACE Act at trial. 

Likewise there are no mentions of the nuns targeted by the BIden DoJ, the persecution of Latin Mass adherents, or the concerned parents who didn’t want their kids transitioned at school behind their backs, or who protested the rape of their daughters in girls’ restrooms.

As is often the case, we are reminded that if it weren’t for double standards, there would be none at all.

Click “expand” to view the transcript of the aforementioned report as aired on ABC World News Tonight on Monday, May 18th, 2026:

ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT

5/18/26

6:41 PM

DAVID MUIR: We turn now to your money tonight. The Justice Department has now set up a fund paid for in taxpayer money, $1.8 billion. What the president calls an anti-weaponization fund to compensate Trump allies, including the rioters on January 6th. Here's Rachel Scott.

RACHEL SCOTT: Tonight, the Justice Department announcing a new so-called anti weaponization fund, $1.8 billion in taxpayer money to be given away to allies of President Trump who claimed they were unfairly treated by the Biden DoJ. Among those who could see payouts, the 1600 people charged in connection with the riot at the Capitol on January 6th, President Trump told his supporters to march to the Capitol.

DONALD TRUMP: We’re going to walk down to the Capitol (VIDEO SWIPE) because you'll never take back our country with weakness.

SCOTT: Today, the president defending the new fund.

TRUMP: This is reimbursing people that were horribly treated, horribly treated. It's anti-weaponization. They've been weaponized. They've been, in some cases, imprisoned wrongly.

SCOTT: The fund is part of a legal settlement between President Trump and his own administration. The president agreeing to drop his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of some of his tax returns several years ago. He's also dropping $230 million in claims against the Justice Department for investigations they launched against him. President Trump has acknowledged the unprecedented circumstances- a president suing his own administration, which he controls. Democrats tonight calling it a MAGA slush fund.

CHUCK SCHUMER: Trump pardoned violent insurrectionists who assaulted your Capitol to overturn your votes, and now he wants to give them your hard-earned tax dollars as a reward. Can you believe that?

SCOTT: And again, David, we're talking about nearly $1.8 billion of taxpayer money. This fund will expire a few weeks before the president leaves office. David.

MUIR: Rachel Scott with us. Thank you. Rachel.

 

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