On the fifth anniversary of the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, the U.S. remains deeply divided, with no shared memorial event. Donald Trump blamed rioters while claiming peaceful intent, Democrats warned against forgetting, and a pardoned Proud Boys leader led a march, highlighting the ongoing political chasm and conflicting historical accounts.
Five years after the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, the nation remains profoundly divided, with no unified official event to commemorate the day when a mob stormed Congress as it certified Joe Biden's election victory. Outgoing President Donald Trump, who had urged supporters to march to the Capitol, used the anniversary to shift blame onto the rioters, asserting his intention was for a 'peaceful and patriotic' protest and criticizing media focus. Meanwhile, Democrats held their own panel, reconvening members of the Jan. 6 investigative committee to emphasize the importance of remembering the events and to counter what they termed the GOP's 'Orwellian project of forgetting.' Adding to the day's divisions, Enrique Tarrio, the former Proud Boys leader recently pardoned by Trump for his role in the attack, led a march from the White House to the Capitol to honor those who died, including Ashli Babbitt. Tarrio also called for the prosecution of officials who investigated and charged Jan. 6 defendants, many of whom were freed by Trump's sweeping pardons. The current White House also issued a report with its own revised history, blaming Democrats for certifying Biden's win and highlighting efforts to free those charged, underscoring the deep partisan chasm over the events of that day.
