Former President Donald Trump continued to assert his belief that he won the 2020 election and distanced himself from any responsibility for the violence that occurred at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. During a televised presidential debate, Trump refused to accept his defeat and downplayed his role in inciting his supporters who stormed the Capitol, disrupting the peaceful transfer of power.
Trump’s refusal to acknowledge the reality of his loss and his failure to take responsibility for the events at the Capitol highlighted his ongoing grievances about the 2020 election. Despite being asked about his actions on January 6, Trump deflected blame and emphasized that he was at the Capitol only to give a speech.
Throughout the debate, Trump ignored the incendiary language he used, urging his supporters to march to the Capitol and “fight like hell.” He only called on the rioters to leave the Capitol hours after the violence began, stating, “we love you. You’re very special people.”
Furthermore, Trump repeated false claims about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejecting his offer to send National Guard troops to the Capitol during the attack. In contrast, Vice President Kamala Harris advocated for moving forward from the events of January 6, emphasizing the importance of not revisiting that day.
Despite his recent acknowledgment in a podcast interview that he had lost the election “by a whisker,” Trump reverted to disputing the results and boasting about winning states like Georgia, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. He continued to make baseless claims of election fraud without evidence, despite numerous courts and officials stating otherwise.
