In a phone call, Trump tried to pressure officials in Georgia into making tens thousands of votes disappear to try and steal the 2020 election. They found no illegal votes, refused to overturn the results and began receiving death threats from Trump’s supporters.[1](https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2020-55153918)
After Trump had exhausted all legal forms of overturning the election; From having over 60 frivolous lawsuits thrown out from all levels of courts including the conservative leaning Supreme Court (Trump picked 3 justices out of 9), and after his Attorney General Barr resigned (an individual that covered/stalled investigations for Trump), Trump turned to his stalwart supporter in Vice-President Pence. A lie was pushed that Mike Pence could refuse to certify the election results as he presided over the counting of the ballots of the electoral college during the joint session of Congress on Jan. 6. Pence refused this illegal power grab. Having no further recourse Trump incited an insurrection during a rally Trump held at the same time the E.C. ballots were being certified. Trump’s supporters erected a gallows, stormed the capital where several people subsequently lost their lives including police officers. Politicians were incredibly lucky they escaped. For example Capitol Police Officer Goodman’s quick and heroic decision to lead an angry mob away from where congression members were hiding probably saved many lives. This mob was chanting hang Mike Pence, many of whom wore tactical gear, carried zip ties, and used flagpoles, fire extinguishers, and chemical sprays as weapons while attacking police officers that protected Congress.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/feb/07/mike-pence-donald-trump-republicans-religion-evangelical)
Trump pushed the big lie that the election was stolen. Trump lost in the courts[1](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/25/us/elections/trump-campaign-lawsuits.html) including the Supreme Court.[2](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-55283024) Then he tried to pressure state officials.[3](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2021/01/03/trump-pressured-georgia-election-official-call-washington-post-report-says/4119948001/) He tried to pressure Pence.[4](https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/05/trump-pressures-pence-election-results-455069)
So what does Trump do after exhausting all nonviolent methods of overturning the election? He turns to his supporters and lights them up making inflammatory statements such as;
We are going to fight for the survival of the nation.
Now is not the time to retreat, its to fight harder.
We will never give in, never back down, never surrender.
We will fight like hell.
You have to get your people to fight.
He primed them for weeks.
State officials had started getting death threats weeks before the attempted insurrection following the general election.[5](https://www.npr.org/sections/biden-transition-updates/2020/12/01/940961602/someones-going-to-get-killed-ga-official-blasts-gop-silence-on-election-threats) Trump saw first hand what violence was being created as his supporters rioted and vandalized black churches in Washington back in December.[6](https://www.thestar.com/news/world/us/2020/12/13/black-churches-vandalized-four-stabbed-dozens-arrested-at-pro-trump-rallies-in-washington.html)
Trump didn’t stop his incitement after the initial violence, he got more specific. He told his supporters how, when, and where. He gave them 18 days notice inviting them to the rally telling them to be there, that it will be wild.[7](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/06/us/politics/capitol-mob-trump-supporters.html) And on the day of the insurrection Trump told his supporters to march on the Capitol and fight like hell.
Following the riot Trump continued to promote the big lie that had incited the insurrection. After the mob was dispersed, Trump praised and sympathized with the mob in a video he released, claiming once again that the election had been stolen.[8](https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-tells-rioters-i-know-how-you-feel-draws-bipartisan-condemnation-11609977209) Then he praised the insurrection in a tweet after the mob had been dispersed. He told his mob to remember Jan. 6 forever. He said that he loved the insurrectionists and that the violent mob were special people.
New York Times - Over 30 Trump Campaign Lawsuits Have Failed. Some Rulings Are Scathing.
BBC - US Supreme Court rejects Trump-backed bid to overturn election
USA Today - Trump is heard on audiotape pressuring Georgia secretary of state to ‘find’ votes to overturn Biden’s win
Politico - Trump pressures Pence to throw out election results — even though he can’t
NPR - ‘Someone’s Going To Get Killed’: Georgia Republican Official Blasts GOP Silence On Election Threats
Toronto Star - Black churches vandalized, four stabbed, dozens arrested at pro-Trump rallies in Washington
New York Times - 'Be There. Will Be Wild!’: Trump All but Circled the Date: Inside Trump supporters’ online echo chambers, the chaos of Jan. 6 could be seen coming. People posted their plans to come to Washington — and showed the weapons they would carry.
Wall Street Journal - Trump Tells Rioters, ‘I Know How You Feel,’ Draws Bipartisan Condemnation
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