Trump downplays Jan. 6: "You had a peaceful transfer of power"

Driving the news: "You had a peaceful transfer of power," Trump told Bloomberg News editor-in-chief John Micklethwait of the 2020 election when asked if he would commit to "respecting and encouraging" a peaceful transition next month.

• "The primary scene in Washington was hundreds of thousands ... and it was love and peace and some people went to the Capitol and a lot of strange things happened there," Trump said of Jan. 6.
• "I left the morning that I was supposed to leave ... and you had a very peaceful transfer," he said, adding that "about 5[00], 6[00] or 700" people went to the Capitol that day.

Reality check: More than 1,400 defendants have been charged in connection with Jan. 6, per the Justice Department. About 140 police officers were assaulted in the Capitol on Jan. 6, per the DOJ.

• Trump also said Tuesday that Ashli Babbitt was the only person who died on Jan. 6. Babbitt was one of five people who died in connection with the Capitol riot.

Zoom out: Trump, who was indicted over his efforts to retain power after the 2020 presidential election, has repeatedly tried to sow doubt ahead of November's election proceedings.

Go deeper: Trump preps catalog of "cheating" claims for potential election loss