Five years on, responses to the attack on the U.S. Capitol remain the clearest demonstration of how far-right extremism, conspiracy theories, and political violence have been normalized in American political life. What has unfolded since that day has not been spontaneous; it’s the result of years of coordinated disinformation, white supremacist mobilization, and the deliberate dismantling of rights and democratic institutions—now driven from the highest levels of power in our country.
As the United States enters another election cycle, the forces that fueled January 6 are more powerful than ever. Donald Trump continues to glorify the insurrection, reward its supporters, and promote election denial as a political strategy. The perpetrators of the violent events of that day were given pardons by Trump, whitewashing the violence and threat to our democracy, and rewriting how the rioters were a mob that included violent neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and militia adherents.
Our new release, “Trump’s Year of Making White Nationalism Great Again,” traces that normalization, documenting how the ideas, networks, and narratives that fueled January 6 are now embedded in formal governance.
The report details the elevation of far-right extremists and conspiracy theorists into senior government roles, the implementation of Project 2025 as an authoritarian blueprint, and the translation of white nationalist rhetoric—such as “remigration”—into official policy. These developments show how anti-democratic ideology has shifted from fringe spaces to institutional power within the federal government, dismantling democratic safeguards, legitimizing political violence, and placing targeted communities and the rule of law at growing risk.
Meanwhile, many of the organizations that have attempted to rewrite the history of that day, and the insurrection’s threat to our democracy, joined forces to produce Project 2025. This is the blueprint Trump is enacting into policy, embedding authoritarianism into government, concentrating power, dismantling democratic safeguards, and empowering the very networks that justified and carried out political violence.
Trump’s incitement of violence, his dehumanizing and weaponized rhetoric, and the corruption surrounding his movement have already destroyed lives and critical elements of our democracy. From threats against election workers and judges to the targeting of vulnerable communities, journalists, and political opponents, vengeance and violence are increasingly normalized as a governing tool. The erosion of accountability and the normalization of intimidation have left communities less safe and democratic participation is under sustained attack.
The movement behind the January 6 attack has not been defeated. It has adapted—moving from the streets into institutions, campaigns, and policy platforms—while continuing to legitimize threats against election workers and political opponents.
This anniversary of the Capitol insurrection demands accountability and a recognition of the true events of that day. Democracy remains threatened, and the danger of political violence is growing. We must reject the normalization of extremism, protect voters and election workers, and defend democratic institutions at every level. The choice is clear: fight against this threat now, or allow this deeply anti-democratic movement to grow and continue undermining our hard-won civil rights and democracy.
