The January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol

The Rally

On the morning of January 6, 2021, Trump held a rally near the White House as Congress prepared to certify Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory. In his speech, Trump repeated false claims that the 2020 election had been “stolen” and urged his supporters to march to the Capitol, telling the crowd “if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.”

The Attack

Shortly after 1:00 PM, the mob breached the Capitol’s outer perimeter. By 2:13 PM, rioters had broken through windows and doors and entered the building. Members of Congress were evacuated or sheltered in place as the mob surged through the halls.

Five people died in connection with the events. Over 140 police officers were injured. The mob erected a gallows outside and chanted “Hang Mike Pence” after the Vice President refused Trump’s demand to unilaterally reject electoral votes.

Aftermath

Trump was impeached by the House for a historic second time on January 13, 2021, charged with “incitement of insurrection.” He was acquitted by the Senate, though seven Republican senators voted to convict — the most bipartisan impeachment conviction vote in American history.

The House Select Committee investigation concluded in December 2022 that Trump was the “central cause” of the attack and referred him to the Department of Justice on multiple criminal charges.