January 6 Revisited: Why Democrats Still Can’t Prove Trump Orchestrated the Capitol Riot

Watching the recent Democratic Party event marking the January 6 Capitol riot, featuring former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other party leaders, was both surprising and disappointing.

I was struck by how, once again, Democratic leaders attempted to place sole responsibility for the events of January 6 on President Donald Trump. Years after the incident and after multiple investigations the party appears determined to revive the same narrative: that President Trump personally orchestrated or directed the rioters who breached the U.S. Capitol.

This claim is not new. It was aggressively promoted ahead of the 2024 presidential election, despite the absence of conclusive evidence directly tying Trump to the actions of those who engaged in violence that day. If Democrats insist on continuing to frame Trump as the mastermind behind January 6, the burden of proof still rests with them. Repeating an allegation does not make it true.

The idea that President Trump “engineered” the riot has been widely challenged over time. Even major media organizations have acknowledged serious errors in their reporting. The BBC, for example, issued an apology after editing footage in a manner that misrepresented Trump’s remarks as incitement. Senior executives reportedly exited the organization following the controversy, and President Trump has since pursued legal action, citing journalistic misconduct.

In my book, Trump’s Not Done With Washington: The Return of the MAGA White House, I examine the January 6 events in detail and argue that Trump was politically set up to take the blame for a broader institutional failure one that involved security decisions made well before that day.

Former Speaker Pelosi, if the claim is still being made, the American public deserves clarity. Where is the definitive proof?

During sworn testimony, Kash Patel responding to questions from Senator Ted Cruz of Texas stated that there was a written request for National Guard support submitted ahead of January 6. According to Patel, that request involved the D.C. Mayor and the Capitol’s security leadership, which at the time reported to congressional leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Speaker Pelosi herself.

The request, he said, was declined an absolute rejection.

If this account is accurate, it raises serious questions about responsibility and decision-making failures at the highest levels of Democratic leadership.
Rather than confronting these uncomfortable facts, Democrats appear embarrassed by how the January 6 narrative has unraveled over time. What was once expected to permanently damage Trump politically has instead continued to fuel public skepticism toward Washington.

January 6 was a national tragedy. But politicizing it while ignoring unanswered questions and inconvenient testimony only deepens distrust. Sadly, this episode reinforces what many Americans already believe: too many politicians in Washington are willing to bend the truth when it serves their interests.

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