‘You know the answer’: Trump mocked for sarcastic response to 2020 election interference question

During a walkabout at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Donald Trump was asked by a reporter if he had intended to overturn the 2020 election.

The former president is currently under criminal indictment at the federal level for his alleged efforts to interfere with the result of the November 2020 presidential election, and will potentially face a further indictment at the state level via a grand jury in Fulton County, Georgia as soon as next week.

As he made his way through a throng of people at the fair, a voice called out: “President Trump, did you intend to overturn the 2020 election?”

Half-turning toward the person who asked, Mr Trump replied: “You know the answer to that.”

He then continued on his way through the crowd toward a scheduled event with allied Republican lawmakers including Rep Matt Gaetz of Florida.

Online, social media users were quick to respond to the former president’s sarcastic remark, clipped by Acyn Torabi, with a chorus of: “So, that’s a yes, then?”

One more erudite response expanded on Mr Trump’s legal woes, remarking: “The Court in DC and in GA will soon confirm what we all know. YES you conspired to overthrow our election system.”

“Yes, we do. Yes, he did,” posted one person on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“He didn’t say no,” said another.

Journalist Aaron Rupar noted the similarity between Mr Trump’s remark and OJ Simpson’s book about the murder of his wife “If I did it”, calling the publication “coy by comparison” to the former president’s remark.

Given his record of talking himself into deeper trouble (or raising further questions) with off-the-cuff remarks, some noted that perhaps he had been coached.

“Well at least his lawyers got him to shut up and not admit out loud what we know the correct answer is,” said one poster on X.

“Someone’s been practising the answer his lawyers gave him…” added another.

The former president was also asked by someone else if he’ll comply with Judge Tanya Chutkan’s order regarding his access to sensitive government documents and limiting what he can say in public in regard to the federal 2020 election case.

He replied: “We’ll have to take a look at the order.”

Mr Trump then baselessly blamed the case being brought about on President Joe Biden as a way to interfere with the election.

Mrs Betty Bowers posted: “Donald is in for a rather unpleasant surprise if he thinks a judge’s order is something that needs an RSVP.”

“If a person really believed in the rule of law the only acceptable answer would be: ‘Yes, of course’,” noted another person.

Not to be left out of the “saying the quiet bit out loud” party, Rep Gaetz when introducing Mr Trump on stage appeared to propose some kind of rebellion, perhaps an insurrection of some sort?

“I cannot stand these people that are destroying our country ... we know that only through force can we make any change in a corrupt town like Washington DC,” he told the crowd.

People were quick to note that that approach has been tried before by a Trump-supporting mob of rioters at the US Capitol on 6 January 2021.

“Sure sounds like he’s inciting violence,” wrote one person in response to the video clip.

“These are terrific statements to play alongside the prosecution’s evidence at Trump’s upcoming election interference trials,” said another.

“Is this the kinda force he’s talking about?” said one X user alongside a picture of lawmakers taking shelter in the gallery of the House of Representatives.

More than 1,100 people have been charged with offences relating to the events in Washington on January 6. A great many named Mr Trump in their statements in court.

He was indicted by federal prosecutors in relation to his attempts to overturn the 2020 election and the events that led up to the Capitol riot on 1 August.

The government has proposed 2 January 2024 as his trial date. Shortly before the Iowa Caucus.