The White House launched a new website on January 6, 2025, that significantly reinterprets the events of January 6, 2021, portraying the pro-Trump mob that stormed the US Capitol as “peaceful protesters” provoked by law enforcement. This initiative coincides with the five-year anniversary of the attack, presenting a narrative that positions the rioters as victims and President Donald Trump as a key defender of those charged in the incident.
The site claims without substantiation that law enforcement and then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi instigated the violence that day. This revisionist history is a continuation of Trump’s long-held assertions regarding the legitimacy of the 2020 election, which he maintains was “stolen” due to widespread voter fraud—a claim that has been repeatedly debunked.
In a post on social media platform X, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung described the webpage as a “trap” intended to provoke media outrage. This marks a continuation of Trump’s strategy to leverage official channels to challenge his political adversaries.
Selective Timeline and Misrepresentation of Events
The website features a selectively curated timeline that presents Trump’s speech at the Ellipse before the Capitol riot as evidence of election fraud, urging supporters to march peacefully to the Capitol. However, it omits crucial parts of his address where he urged his followers to “fight like hell.” The timeline neglects to mention the violent actions of the rioters, including breaking windows and attacking police officers, framing the rally instead as “orderly and spirited.”
Additionally, the site suggests that the US Capitol Police escalated tensions by employing “provocative tactics” such as tear gas. This claim contradicts extensive video evidence showing rioters initiating violence. The site also inaccurately states that individuals who died from natural causes outside the Capitol that day were “killed,” while asserting without evidence that “zero law enforcement officers lost their lives.” In reality, US Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick died following strokes attributed to his efforts during the riot, and four other officers later died by suicide, with many more suffering injuries.
Controversial Claims and Political Accountability
The White House’s narrative includes Trump’s assertion that then-Vice President Mike Pence failed to act decisively during the electoral certification process, describing Pence’s inaction as “cowardice and sabotage.” This claim has been widely criticized by legal scholars and Pence’s own aides, who contend that it would have been unconstitutional for Pence to refuse certification.
The website also criticizes Pelosi, highlighting her comments from an HBO documentary where she accepted responsibility for not ensuring adequate security at the Capitol. However, it misrepresents her statement as evidence of wrongdoing on her part, despite her consistent denial of having received any advance requests for National Guard deployment from Trump.
In a statement on the anniversary, Pelosi referred to January 6 as an “attempted coup” led by Trump. She emphasized that the events of that day were not spontaneous but rather a culmination of attacks on democracy and the rule of law.
The website concludes by portraying Trump as a victim of social media bans and financial restrictions, arguing that he “corrected a historic wrong” by pardoning nearly all of the approximately 1,600 individuals charged in connection with the Capitol attack. This group includes members of extremist groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, many of whom have been convicted of serious offenses.
The new narrative represents a significant departure from the widely accepted account of January 6, 2021, and raises questions about the implications of using a government platform to disseminate misleading information about a pivotal moment in American history.
