The Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol: A guide to what we now know
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Trump inspired the attack
Before the election, Trump seeded the ground for doubts about the election with baseless claims that the only way he could lose reelection was through fraud perpetrated by Democrats. Trump narrowly lost some key states — just as he had narrowly won some in 2016 — and subsequently decisively lost in the electoral college. As was his prerogative, he pursued legal challenges in many states but they were rejected by state officials and the courts.
Nevertheless, Trump continued to make elaborate and baseless claims about election fraud, even after the electoral college confirmed Joe Biden’s victory on Dec. 14. Five days later, he tweeted: “Big protest in D.C. on January 6th. Be there, will be wild!” He then tweeted seven more times calling attention to the event, including one on Jan. 1 that included the phrase “StopTheSteal!”
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