Five Years After January 6 Capitol Riot, Democrats and Republicans Clash Over History and Power

Five years after the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, sharp political divisions resurfaced in Washington as Democrats accused Republicans of attempting to rewrite history, while President Donald Trump downplayed the riot during a celebratory address to GOP lawmakers. The anniversary highlighted the ongoing struggle over how the violent события of that day are remembered and interpreted.

Democratic lawmakers marked the anniversary by recalling the attack, when thousands of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in an effort to block certification of the 2020 presidential election results. Lawmakers were forced to flee for safety as rioters breached security. Democrats warned that the threats posed to democracy, election integrity, and the rule of law remain unresolved.

Meanwhile, President Trump delivered an upbeat 82-minute speech to House Republicans at the newly renamed Trump-Kennedy Center, an iconic Washington venue previously honoring former President John F. Kennedy. Trump joked, danced to his signature song “YMCA,” and made only brief reference to the Capitol riot. When he did, he criticized the congressional investigation and media coverage, while his administration launched a website blaming Capitol Police for escalating what it called a “peaceful demonstration.”

Outside the Capitol, about 150 Trump supporters marched to commemorate January 6, exchanging insults with counterprotesters and singing patriotic songs. The march was organized by Enrique Tarrio, former leader of the Proud Boys, who had been sentenced to 24 years in prison for his role in planning the attack. Tarrio was among more than 1,500 January 6 participants pardoned by Trump after his return to the White House.

The January 6 attack left roughly 140 police officers injured. Four people died that day, including a Trump supporter shot by police. One officer died the following day, and four others later died by suicide. Trump initially faced bipartisan condemnation, was impeached by the House for a second time, but was acquitted by the Senate. A federal prosecution was later halted by the Supreme Court.

Democrats, including House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Representative Jamie Raskin, accused Republicans of whitewashing the violence. Republicans, however, established a new committee to reexamine the events, with some falsely blaming far-left activists. As debates over voting laws, election security, and Trump’s future ambitions continue, January 6 remains a defining and deeply contested moment in American political history.