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Nigel Farage dangers new cut up with Donald Trump saying president was ‘flawed’ to free January 6 rioters – however insists he has made up with Elon Musk

Donald Trump was wrong to pardon and free all the January 6 rioters on his first day back in office as US president, Nigel Farage said today.

The Reform leader criticised the new US leader as he was grilled on Trumps actions in the week since returning to the White House.

The hard right Republican pardoned 1,500 people, including white supremacists, who were jailed in connection with the storming of the Capitol in Washington DC in 2021, after he lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden.

Trump also directed the attorney general to seek dismissal of about 450 pending criminal cases against January 6 defendants.

The pardons fulfilled Trump’s promise to release supporters who tried to help him overturn his election defeat four years ago.

Among those released was Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the far-right Proud Boys, who was given a 22-year sentence for seditious conspiracy over the storming of the Capitol amid baseless claims the 2020 election was ‘stolen’.

Speaking to LBC today Mr Farage, who went to DC for the inauguration but did not get a seat at the indoor event, said: ‘Two wrongs don’t make a right. I’m surprised they’ve all been let out’.

He also revealed he has been speaking to Elon Musk, despite the billionaire X owner calling for him to be replaced as Reform leader. 

The Reform leader criticised the new US leader as he was grilled on Trumps actions in the week since returning to the White House.

The Reform leader criticised the new US leader as he was grilled on Trumps actions in the week since returning to the White House.

Among those released was Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the far-right Proud Boys, who was given a 22-year sentence for seditious conspiracy over the storming of the Capitol amid baseless claims the 2020 election was 'stolen'.

Among those released was Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the far-right Proud Boys, who was given a 22-year sentence for seditious conspiracy over the storming of the Capitol amid baseless claims the 2020 election was ‘stolen’.

He and Mr Farage clashed earlier this month over the South Africa-born businessman’s support for jailed far-right agitator Tommy Robinson.

The falling out came despite a meeting at Trumps’ Mar-a-Lago resort in December to discuss money. 

But Mr Farage today said: Yeah we’re in talks. We’ve been chatting (about) the things we agree on and of course, there are things that we don’t agree on and that’s fine…

‘I have my own view (on Tommy Robinson) and I’ve shared it. He has a slightly different view to me, as many Americans do. I’m gonna do what I like. I’m leading a political party that is making enormous progress’. 

At the same time, a senior campaign aide to the president last night said Trump had sided with Mr Musk – who has been criticised for making a Nazi salute after the inauguration – over his support for Robinson.

Bryan Lanza told ITV’s Peston: ‘What I’ve learnt over the years with President Trump is that he puts a lot of weight in people who’ve created things, disruptive people who’ve created things…he’s going to listen to what Elon has to say in these things, and it’s going to have an impact.

‘It’s going to matter. I mean, Nigel Farage is a much smaller person today in Donald Trump‘s eyes than he was two weeks ago as a result of Elon’s tweet and engagement on this issue.’

Last night Mr Trump praised Sir Keir Starmer.

The new US president said he had a ‘very good relationship’ with the PM and hinted he could yet make Britain the destination of his first oversees trip in his second term in the White House.

Speaking to LBC today Mr Farage, who went to DC for the inauguration but did not get a seat at the indoor event, said: 'Two wrongs don't make a right. I'm surprised they've all been let out'. He also revealed he has been speaking to Elon Musk, despite the billionaire X owner calling for him to be replaced as Reform leader.

Speaking to LBC today Mr Farage, who went to DC for the inauguration but did not get a seat at the indoor event, said: ‘Two wrongs don’t make a right. I’m surprised they’ve all been let out’. He also revealed he has been speaking to Elon Musk, despite the billionaire X owner calling for him to be replaced as Reform leader.

Trump told reporters on Air Force One that he planned to speak to Sir Keir in the next 24 hours, after snubbing him for almost a week since taking office.

Sir Keir and other senior Labour ministers have been engaged in a running battle with Elon Musk, the billionaire X owner and a senior ally of the president.

But overnight the president was asked about his own relationship with the prime minister. 

‘I’ve met him already three times. He’s come over to see me twice. I have a call. He and I have a call over the next 24 hours,’ he said.

‘Now I get along with him, well, I like him a lot. He’s liberal, which is a little bit different for me, but I think he’s a very good person. 

‘I think he’s done a very good job thus far. He’s doing the job… but he’s represented his country in terms of his philosophy.

‘I may not agree with his philosophy, but I have a very good relationship with him. I’ve seen him twice at dinner with him in Trump Tower, as you probably know.’

Sir Keir most recently met with Mr Trump at Trump Tower in New York during the presidential campaign last year.

The pair also spoke on the phone following Mr Trump’s election victory, with Downing Street saying both men agreed the relationship between the UK and the US was ‘incredibly strong’ and would ‘continue to thrive’.