Tweets as Capitol attack unfolds: "These are the things and events that happen..."

At 6:01 PM ET, after hours of violence at the U.S. Capitol, Trump tweeted that the attack was what happens when a "sacred landslide election victory" is "stripped away"—repeating his central election-lie while framing the mob as "great patriots." The post mixed a perfunctory instruction to go home with affectionate language ("with love") and a demand to memorialize the day ("Remember this day forever!").

"These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long. Go home with love & in peace. Remember this day forever!" — Trump tweet (American Presidency Project 'Tweets of January 6, 2021'), posted 1/6/2021 18:01 ET.