General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Is there a consensus on why the militias and white supremacists came to the Capitol on January 6th? [View all]brooklynite
(95,406 posts)("we know what Trump" wanted is unprovable and irrelevant)
Trump and his campaign staff and his WH staff wanted to delay/prevent approval of the electoral votes by Congress, in the hope that Republican controlled States would then rescind their appointments of electors. However, all documentation indicates that this process would be by legal means (eg pressuring Republicans to object to certification and delay the approval process). Trump stated at the protest rally that people should go to the Capitol to pressure the Republican members to do this. He did NOT say to enter the Capitol building, to threaten violence or to physically stop the certification process.
Trump's campaign organized and promoted his "Stop the Steal" protest rally at the Washington Monument. It was fully permitted and my all accounts non-violent. There is no evidence that his "Will be Wild" tweet was intended as more than his usual over-the-top hype./
Members of the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, 3%ers etc have confessed to planning an organized effort after the rally to enter the Capitol and brought equipment and weapons to force a stop to the certification process. There is no evidence to date of PLANS to kidnap, assault or kill anyone inside. (The "gallows" that everyone points to was too small to be a functional device, and "hanging in effigy" has been a protest form for over a century).
Some of the participants who entered the Capitol said they "believed" that Trump was telling them to do so through his language. However there is NO evidence that Trump, his staff or his campaign team OR Republican members of Congress knew of such plans, supported them, encouraged them or assisted them.