The Republican Party’s rewriting of the events of Jan. 6, the day of the pro-Trump riot at the US Capitol, has provided President Donald Trump with a platform to make a political comeback. After months of silence on the subject, many Republicans have adopted the narrative that the riot was actually an attempt to “Stop the Steal” of the 2020 presidential election, rather than an assault on our democracy. This narrative has been picked up and perpetuated by Trump and his supporters, creating a dangerous cycle in which events are misrepresented or don’t get covered at all. It also has provided a platform for Trump to stir up his base and regain political influence.
The GOP’s rhetoric began back in March, when they blocked the automatic creation of an independent commission to investigate the riot. Instead, they’re using the investigation as a political tool, with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s emphasis on “finding the truth of what happened” appearing to be little more than an attempt to satisfy conservative donors.
The Republican-led House of Representatives has also advanced its own narrative of the events of Jan. 6, with committees in both chambers releasing reports that broadly blame former President Barack Obama and Democrats for the riot.
By setting the terms of the debate around Jan. 6, Republicans have given Trump an opportunity to shape public opinion and paint the rioters in a sympathetic light. In the absence of any meaningful response from Congress, the former president has attempted to rewrite history and provide explanations for the riot that shift the responsibility away from himself and his supporters. He has tried to push the idea that the riot was actually caused by antifa and used this as motivation for his upcoming campaign rallies.
The Republican Party’s rewriting of Jan. 6 has allowed Trump to benefit politically from what was one of the most shameful moments in our nation’s history. By adopting Trump’s narrative, they are sending the dangerous message that the events of that day don’t matter and should be forgotten or excused. This serves only to undermine our democratic institutions and further embolden Trump’s dangerous brand of politics.
