Status: 07/13/2022 02:46 am
Ex-President Trump is said to have planned his supporters’ attack on the Capitol well in advance, deliberately targeting right-wing groups. This is the conclusion reached by the investigative committee in Congress.
According to the committee of inquiry into the storming of the Capitol in January 2021, then-US President Donald Trump had planned the march days earlier – and directly addressed violent right-wing extremists. “The evidence shows that it was a deliberate strategy that the President decided in advance,” Democratic committee member Stephanie Murphy said at the public hearing.
Trump previously tweeted a call for protests
Because Trump had previously asked his supporters to come to Washington on January 6th. Specifically, it is about a tweet from December 19th. “Big protest in DC on January 6th. Be there, it’s going to be wild!” Trump tweeted at the time. According to committee member Jamie Raskin, this had an “explosive effect” on the right-wing scene and played a central role in the mobilization. According to the committee, Trump was directly addressing right-wing groups.
The committee used text messages and videos to show how representatives from the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers organizations responded immediately. In right-wing extremist forums, there was talk of a “Red Wedding” – an indication of mass murder. Someone called for people to bring handcuffs.
Torben Börgers, ARD Washington, with details of the hearing on the storming of the US Capitol
tagesschau24 9.30 p.m., 12.7.2022
Meeting with Trump previously escalated
According to witnesses, the tweet was preceded by an explosive meeting between Trump and employees on December 19, which degenerated into a dispute.
According to a witness, Trump’s lawyers – including Rudy Giuliani – submitted the draft for a presidential decree to confiscate voting machines. Trump adviser Pat Cipollone said it was a “terrible idea.” “That’s not how we regulate things in the United States,” he said. Finally, the meeting degenerated into screaming. Trump then tweeted the next morning.
Committee member Stephanie Murphy said Trump’s tweet served not only as a call to action, but also as a call to arms for some. Five people were killed when Trump supporters stormed the seat of the US Congress. Four police officers who were on duty that day later took their own lives.
A Capitol stormer shows remorse
A participant in the storming of the US Capitol clearly distanced himself from Trump during the hearing. The witness Stephen Ayres said he only went to Washington on January 6, 2021 at Trump’s appeal. He got caught up in his false voter fraud allegations and really believed Trump would march with them to the Capitol that day. He also saw a small chance that the result of the presidential election could still be overturned.
Today he regrets having believed Trump’s lies. “I felt like I had blinders on,” said Ayres. “I was trapped the whole time.” The witness also had a message for other Trump supporters. “Take off the blinders; make sure you step back and see what’s going on before it’s too late.” Ayres said of his participation in the storming of the Capitol: “It changed my life – and not for the better.”