5 questions about Trump’s transformation of the Jan. 6 narrative
1. How has President Trump changed the Jan. 6 narrative since returning to office?
Mr. Trump has pardoned more than 1,000 people convicted of Jan. 6-related offenses and commuted sentences for 14 others, recasting the rioters as victims of overzealous prosecution rather than criminals. He fulfilled this promise on his first day back in office, calling it an end to a “grave national injustice” and the beginning of “national reconciliation.” His administration also approved a nearly $5 million settlement for the family of Ashli Babbitt, the Air Force veteran shot by Capitol Police during the riot.
2. Why has Jan. 6 lost its power as a political issue against Mr. Trump?
Americans have shifted their focus to issues like immigration and economic concerns that helped propel Mr. Trump back to the White House in 2024. While scholars note that most Americans wouldn’t view the violent Capitol invasion as valorous, voters prioritized pocketbook issues over the events of five years ago. Trump managed to turn his indictments into a rallying cry for his base and leveraged dissatisfaction with President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to win reelection, despite Democrats’ warnings that he threatened democracy.
3. What happened to the politicians who opposed Mr. Trump over Jan. 6?
Mr. Trump has politically triumphed over those who voted against him during Jan. 6-related proceedings. Of the House Republicans who voted to impeach him, only two remain in Congress — Reps. David Valadao of California and Dan Newhouse of Washington, with Newhouse set to retire. Of the seven Republican senators who voted to convict him, only three remain in the Senate: Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.
SEE ALSO: Trump neutralizes politics of Jan. 6, 2021; security is focus of new committee
4. How are Republicans investigating the original Jan. 6 investigation?
Rep. Barry Loudermilk, a Georgia Republican, is leading a new House Judiciary Committee panel focused on security failures around the riot. The committee has sent letters to about a dozen federal agencies and private companies seeking information, aiming to determine whether intelligence was correctly interpreted and disseminated before the attack. Republicans argue the Democratic-led investigation cherry-picked witnesses and evidence, and they’re looking for “missing” data from that committee while promising an “objective” review of security failures.
5. What did special counsel Jack Smith say about Mr. Trump’s responsibility for Jan. 6?
In closed-door testimony to lawmakers last month, Mr. Smith stated that the Capitol riot “does not happen” without Trump and characterized the president as the “most culpable and most responsible person” for trying to overturn the 2020 election results. Smith said the crimes were committed for Trump’s benefit by co-conspirators acting on his behalf. However, Mr. Trump’s Justice Department quashed Mr. Smith’s indictment that had accused the president and his allies of conspiring against American voters after the 2020 election.
Read more: Trump neutralizes politics of Jan. 6, 2021; security is focus of new committee
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