In a move that has ignited fierce debate, the official White House website has published a statement controversially referring to individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, US Capitol breach as 'peaceful protesters'. The page, released to mark the fifth anniversary of the event, presents a starkly different narrative from the widely accepted account of a violent insurrection.
A Narrative of 'Patriots' and a 'Witch Hunt'
The website entry, published on January 7, 2026, centres on the sweeping pardons and commutations granted by President Donald Trump on his first day back in office, January 20, 2025. It states these actions benefited nearly 1,600 'patriotic Americans' prosecuted for their presence at the Capitol. The text argues many were 'mere trespassers or peaceful protesters treated as insurrectionists by a weaponised Biden DOJ'.
It further accuses Democratic politicians, specifically naming former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, of orchestrating a 'witch hunt' and a 'scripted TV spectacle' to fabricate an insurrection narrative aimed at blaming Trump. A timeline on the site describes a 'massive crowd' that 'peacefully marches down Constitution Avenue' in an 'orderly and spirited' manner.
Contested Facts and Fatalities
The White House page makes several contentious claims about the fatalities that occurred on January 6. It suggests an Alabama man who suffered a fatal heart attack and another attendee who died from a stroke were 'killed'. It also mentions Ashli Babbitt, who was shot by a Capitol Police officer while attempting to breach a barricaded doorway.
The site notably adds: 'Zero law enforcement officers lost their lives.' This statement overlooks the death of Officer Brian Sicknick, who was pepper-sprayed during the riot, suffered two strokes, and died the following day. The suicides of two other responding officers in the months after the attack are also not addressed in this claim.
The Events of January 6, 2021: A Different Account
The published narrative contrasts sharply with established records of the day. On January 6, 2021, a mob of Trump supporters, after attending a rally where the then-president urged them to 'fight like hell', violently stormed the US Capitol building. They overwhelmed police barriers, smashed windows, and forced their way into the halls of Congress, where lawmakers were certifying the 2020 presidential election results.
The siege resulted in five deaths, including Babbitt, and left more than 140 law enforcement officers injured. During the chaos, then-President-elect Joe Biden labelled the event an 'insurrection' and called on Trump to publicly demand an end to it. Trump later released a video telling his supporters 'we love you' and to 'go home in peace'.
The White House website concludes by framing the pardons as ending 'the nightmare of weaponised justice'. This revisionist account ensures that the debate over the legacy of January 6, a day described by many as a dark moment for American democracy, remains deeply polarised.
