Marching to the Capitol 5 years later: MAGAReport 1/7/26

A small and boring gathering to honor the insurrection

A group of around 100 Proud Boys, pardoned insurrectionists, and hard core Trump supporters gathered at the Ellipse in front of the White House yesterday, the fifth anniversary of the January 6 attack on the Capitol. The small group, ringed by reporters and media, gave speeches over a portable microphone, praying for Ashli Babbit, the woman shot during the Capitol riot as she tried to climb through a broken window to get to the Speaker's Lobby, and airing their grievances about the injustices they suffered when they were prosecuted for trying to overthrow the election.

One man, out for a lunch time jog, yelled “go back to prison you traitors!” as he ran past. Someone called him a “faggot” but otherwise the crowd remained mellow.

Enrique Tarrio, former national president of the Proud Boys who was convinced of seditious conspiracy for his role in planning the attack, was there. He said hello when he saw me and as I leaned in to give him a quick hug, I whispered in his ear, “Last time I saw you, you got arrested.”

“Yeah, I remember,” he said. “But you got some good pictures!”

“I did,” I said. “They were in the Washington Post!”

The police presence was heavy, especially along the Constitution and Pennsylvania Avenues which connect the White House grounds to the Capitol. But unlike five years ago, Trump did not make an appearance, the mood was mellow, and everyone was forewarned not to touch the bike racks that blocked off-limits areas.

The only drama of the day was a minor scuffle between a protester, who frequently appears at these kinds of events, and some of the crowd. The Trump supporters pushed her to the ground but the protester ended up being detained by police.

It was a good day for things to stay boring. It was also a reminder of how much the MAGA movement is rooted in a narrative of victimhood and how difficult that is to maintain when Trump is in office and in control of both Congress and the Supreme Court. Who is there to blame now when things go wrong?