TRUMP, THE BBC, AND MY EYES AND EARS PART 2

YESTERDAY, WE CITED TRUMP’S PLAN to sue BBC over its documentary “Panorama—Trump a Second Chance.” Today in Part 2 we continue with tidbits gleaned from Wikipedia’s Timeline of January 6, 2021. Unless otherwise noted, the following quoted passages are from that timeline article.

On the day of the Capitol riot that shook American democracy, there are no official White House phone notations from about 11 a.m. until about 7 p.m. While that leaves holes in the record, a lot of publicly available information has surfaced about what Trump did do and say. Caption by AP; image by AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File.

“11:50 a.m. (approximately): From backstage at the Ellipse, Trump could see that TV viewers would perceive the venue as not filled to capacity. That was because about half of his 53,000 supporters refused to be screened for weapons by passing through the magnetometers and thus had not entered the area. Trump yelled (as Cassidy Hutchinson would later testify): ‘I don’t [fucking] care that they have weapons. They’re not here to hurt me. Take the [fucking] mags away. Let my people in. They can march to the Capitol from here. Take the [fucking] mags away.’ ”

“11:57 a.m. President Trump begins his over one-hour speech. He repeats allegations that the election was stolen, criticizes Vice President Mike Pence by name a half-dozen times (though this wasn’t part of his prepared remarks), accuses fellow Republicans of not doing enough to back up his allegations, and states that he will walk with the crowd to the Capitol.”

Did bone spurs preclude that walk with the crowd?

“12:16 p.m. Trump tells the crowd: ‘I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.’ ”

“12:57 p.m. Federal Protective Service officers report that the Capitol Police barricade on the west side of the Capitol building has been breached by a large group. By 1:03 p.m., a vanguard of rioters have overrun three layers of barricades and have forced police officers to the base of the west Capitol steps.” 

So much for “peacefully and patriotically.”

“1:10 p.m. Trump ends his speech by urging his supporters to march upon the Capitol Building: ‘If you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore….’ ”

To repeat: So much for “peacefully and patriotically.”

Trump Watches TV (1:25—4:03 p.m.) Back at The White House, Trump blames the Secret Service for preventing his return to the Capitol. Wikipedia Timeline recounts, “Here’s what President Trump did not do: He did not call any relevant law enforcement agency to ensure they were working to quell the violence. He did not call the Secretary of Defense; he did not call the Attorney General; he did not call the Secretary of Homeland Security. And for hours on end, he refused the repeated requests—from nearly everyone who talked to him—to simply tell the mob to go home.”

“2:24 p.m.  President Trump tweets ‘Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify. USA demands the truth!’ When Twitter reinstated Trump’s account in November 2022, this tweet was gone. The U.S. House select committee investigating January 6 wrote that this tweet ‘inflamed and exacerbated the mob violence.’ ”

A normal tourist visit?? Image by AP/Jose Luis Magana via hmtsu.edu. 

“2:32 p.m. Fox News anchor Laura Ingraham tweets Chief of Staff Meadows: ‘Hey Mark, the president needs to tell people in the Capitol to go home.’ ”

“2:38 p.m. President Trump tweets: ‘Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement. They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful!’ ”

Despite this, the rioting grew. Perhaps they were too busy “visiting” to consult Twitter.

Image from The New Yorker, January 17, 2021.

“6:01 p.m. President Trump tweets: ‘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!’ When Twitter reinstated Trump’s account on November 2022, this tweet was gone.”

But I certainly remember that day forever. ds 

© Dennis Simanaitis, SimanaitisSays.com, 2025