January 6, five years on: sustained effort by Trump to rewrite history
The Guardian••general
Key Points:
- Five years after the January 6 US Capitol attack, Donald Trump and many Republicans have actively worked to rewrite the history of the event, including pardoning around 1,500 participants and settling lawsuits related to the violence.
- The Justice Department, influenced by Trump appointees, has demoted or fired attorneys who prosecuted January 6 cases, while Republicans have blocked efforts to install a plaque honoring Capitol defenders, raising concerns about erasing the event's significance.
- Legal experts warn that minimizing or legitimizing the January 6 riot threatens democratic norms and could encourage future attacks, emphasizing the importance of memorializing the day to prevent recurrence.
- Trump’s political comeback was bolstered by the Senate’s acquittal after his impeachment for inciting the
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