President Donald Trump, attendees were urged to march towards the U.S. Capitol, a move that culminated in the chaotic events of January 6, 2021, as reported by Julia Jacobo on January 7, 2021, at 12:03 PM.
The gathering, known as Trump’s “Save America Rally,” saw the former president encouraging his supporters to “stop the steal” of the election and mobilize at the Capitol in protest of Congress certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s victory. Amidst the crowd’s fervent rallying cries such as “Fight for Trump! Fight for Trump! Fight for Trump!” Trump addressed the crowd for nearly an hour at the Ellipse, a park adjacent to the White House.
Following Trump’s speech, thousands of attendees, many without masks, made their way towards Capitol Hill, prompting a swift response from federal law enforcement. Trump’s words resonated with his supporters, emphasizing the magnitude of the crowd and lamenting what he perceived as biased media coverage. He implored the media to showcase the vast numbers present, expressing concerns about election integrity and condemning what he alleged as a rigged election.
Trump asserted that the election victory was unfairly taken from him, citing purported evidence of a landslide win and questioning the legitimacy of President-elect Joe Biden’s reported 80 million votes. In his address, he decried the state of the election process, drawing comparisons to elections in third-world countries and labeling it a “disgrace.”
The former president vowed not to concede, proclaiming, “We will never give up. We will never concede. It doesn’t happen. You don’t concede when there’s theft involved.” Trump’s speech set the stage for the events that unfolded at the Capitol later that day, marking a tumultuous moment in American history.
