On Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, then-president Donald Trump peppered an otherwise incendiary speech at a rally with a singular ask that his supporters “peacefully” march to the U.S. Capitol − but also be prepared to “fight like hell.”
“We fight like hell,” Trump had said. “And if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.”
Critics insist that particular passage, in addition to the speech’s combustible and inciteful words, spurred his supporters to march to the U.S Capitol, violently occupy the building, create a security risk and suspend Electoral College deliberations.
The episode ended tragically, with five people including a police officer, losing their lives.
U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Boca Raton, Florida, tweeted: “This is a violent insurrection. An attempted coup by Trump supporters at his encouragement. They’re attacking the building that represents our democracy and threatening those who work in it. History will remember this dark day as a seditious attack by Americans against America.”
Before Trump spoke, his attorney, Rudy Giuliani called for “trial by combat.” And the president’s son, Donald Trump Jr., warned those who are a “zero not a hero” that “we are coming for you.”
Jan. 6, 2021, marks a dark day in American history. Days later, Donald Trump was impeached by the House on Jan. 13, 2021, for “incitement of insurrection” for provoking the riots. His Twitter account, the social media platform now known as X and owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk, was suspended (and later resurrected by Musk).
Since then, January 6 has been known as “Insurrection Day.”
What did Trump say on Jan. 6, 2021, before Trump supporters stormed US Capitol?
But what did Trump say? Here is the passage from his speech that directed his followers to head to Capitol Hill.
“And after this, we’re going to walk down there, and I’ll be there with you, we’re going to walk down … to the Capitol and we are going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women,” Trump told the crowd. “And we’re probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them. Because you’ll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength and you have to be strong.”
The pledge was part of a speech that was bombastic and inflammatory even by Trumpian standards. The president told the crowd that the election had been “rigged” by “radical democrats” and the “fake news media.”
And then he added a measure of defiance mixed with a call to action.
“We will never give up. We will never concede. It doesn’t happen. You don’t concede when there’s theft involved,” Trump said. “Our country has had enough. We’re not going to take it anymore.”
He further said: “You’re the real people. You’re the people that built this nation. You’re not the people that tore down this nation.”
The former president did also say: “I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”
And he added in a bit of irony: “Now it is up to Congress to confront this egregious assault on our democracy.”
What did Trump tweet on Jan. 6, 2021, Insurrection Day at US Capitol?
At 2:38 p.m. Jan. 6, 2021, Trump sent this tweet: “Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement. They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful!”
At 3:13 p.m. Jan. 6, 2021, Trump sent another tweet: “I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence! Remember, WE are the Party of Law & Order − respect the Law and our great men and women in Blue. Thank you!”
But he later seemingly justified the violence, occupation and besieging of the Capitol with this social media missive: “These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long. Go home with love & in peace. Remember this day forever!”
Twitter labeled the tweet as follows: “This claim of election fraud is disputed, and this Tweet can’t be replied to, Retweeted, or liked due to a risk of violence.”
Antonio Fins is a politics and business editor at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at afins@pbpost.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Trump, Jan. 6 insurrection at Capitol: ‘Remain peaceful, no violence’