Donald Trump declined to answer a reporter who asked if he’d apologise for inspiring many of the participants in the 6 January riots at the US Capitol, as a crowd of onlookers audibly booed the journalist during an event at the US-Mexico border.

       The question came from CNN’s Jim Acosta, as Mr Trump was wrapping up his remarks at a stretch of the border wall in Texas, part of a multi-state political comeback tour for the former president.

       “Mr Trump, will you apologise about January 6th?” Mr Acosta called out.

       Upon hearing the question, Mr Trump cracked a smile and flashed a thumbs up, as the crowd booed the CNN anchor.

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       Numerous alleged participants have said in court that the former president and his insistence the election was “rigged” inspired them to storm the US Capitol.

       Following the attack on the Capitol, where five people died and many more injured, Mr Trump told his supporters he loved them and that they were “very special”, while continuing to undermine the legitimacy of the election.

       “It was a landslide election, everyone knows it ... but you have to go home now,” Mr Trump said in a video message. “We have to have peace, we have to have law and order, we have to respect our great people in law and order. We don’t want anyone hurt.” The day after that attack, Mr Trump finally conceded the election, even though it had been clear for weeks he hadn’t won.

       “A new administration will be inaugurated on January 20,” the outgoing president said. “My focus now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power.”

       Despite these more statesmanly promises, Mr Trump has resumed attacking the 2020 election.

       During his visit to the border on Wednesday, Mr Trump compared the US to a “banana republic”.

       “We had an election where we did much better than we did the first time and amazingly we lost,” Mr Trump said, adding. “We better get our elections straightened out because you’re going to have a runaway country, you’re going to have a banana republic, you’re going to have a third world country here pretty soon because our elections are a mess.”