In the aftermath of the January 6 United States Capitol attack, after drawing widespread condemnation from the U.S. Congress, members of his administration, and the media, 45th U.S. PresidentDonald Trump released a video-taped statement on January7 to stop the resignations of his staff and the threats of impeachment or removal from office. In the statement, he condemned the violence at the U.S. Capitol, saying that "a new administration will be inaugurated", which was widely seen as a concession, and his "focus now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly, and seamless transition of power" to the Joe Biden administration.[1][2]Vanity Fair reported that Trump was at least partially convinced to make the statement by U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who told Trump a sufficient number of Senate Republicans would support removing him from office unless he conceded.[3]Kayleigh McEnany, the White House Press Secretary, had attempted to distance the administration from the rioters' behavior in a televised statement earlier in the day.[4] On January 9, The New York Times reported that Trump had told White House aides he regretted committing to an orderly transition of power and would never resign from office.[5] In a March 25 interview on Fox News, Trump defended the Capitol attackers, saying they were patriots who posed "zero threat", and he criticized law enforcement for "persecuting" the rioters.[6]
The Joint Chiefs of Staff issued a statement on January 12 condemning the attack and reminding military personnel everywhere that incoming President Joe Biden was about to become their commander-in-chief, saying "...the rights of freedom of speech and assembly do not give anyone the right to resort to violence, sedition, and insurrection".[7] The statement also said, "As we have done throughout our history, the U.S. military will obey lawful orders from civilian leadership, support civilian authorities to protect lives and property, ensure public safety in accordance with the law, and remain fully committed to protecting and defending the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic".[8][9] U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R–KY), then the Senate Majority Leader, called it a "failed insurrection",[10][11] that "the mob was fed lies", and "they were provoked by the president and other powerful people".[10]Christopher Wray, the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) since 2017, later characterized the incident as domestic terrorism.[12][13] President Biden, who described the rioters as "terrorists" aimed at "overturning the will of the American people" later shared this opinion.[14] In early 2021, the RAND Corporation released a framework to reduce the risk of extremist activity in the U.S. military.[15]
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had the flags at the Capitol lowered to half-staff in honor of Brian Sicknick, a United States Capitol Police officer who died following the attacks.[16][17] Trump initially declined to lower flags at the White House or other federal buildings under his control, before changing his mind four days later.[18][19][20] Biden, Mike Pence, and Pelosi offered condolences to Sicknick's family; Trump did not.[16][21] After Sicknick's death, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) received backlash for previous speeches that were perceived as calls for violence.[22]
A survey by the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston taken January 12–20 showed that nearly a third (32%) of Texas Republicans supported the attack, although overall 83% of all Texans who expressed an opinion were opposed to it.[23] In a poll of Americans just after the attack, 79% of those surveyed said America is "falling apart".[24][25] In February 2022, the Republican National Committee called the events of January 6 "legitimate political discourse".[26]
The US art world reacted through the chronicling of the day as well as the creation of new work. Starting January 7, 2021, the Smithsonian Museum enacted its "rapid-response protocol" to gather rally signs, posters, flags, and weapons abandoned on the National Mall and began work on a digital arts exhibit.[27] Visual artist Paul Chan created his "A drawing as a recording of an insurrection", a 163-inch (4.1 m) double-sided drawing[28] exhibited at the Greene Naftali Gallery in New York.[29] In December 2022, literary press Whiskey Tit released Tell Me What You See, the first fiction published about the attack.[30] At the one-year anniversary, One Six Comics published graphic novel series 1/6[31] with an accompanying education and action guide by the Western States Center.[32]The Society of Classical Poets website posted various poems about the day,[33] including one glorifying deceased rioter Ashli Babbitt.[34]
^ abHaberman, Maggie; Schmidt, Michael S. (January 9, 2021). "Trump has not lowered flags in honor of an officer who died from injuries sustained amid the riot". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 10, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2021. While the flags at the Capitol have been lowered, Mr. Trump has not issued a similar order for federal buildings under his control.... 'Mr. Trump has not reached out to Mr. Sicknick's family, although Vice President Mike Pence called to offer condolences,' an aide to Mr. Pence said.