Trump Urges Supporters to Gather in DC on Jan. 6

Trump Urges Supporters to Gather in DC on Jan. 6
Then-President Donald Trump and then-first lady Melania Trump walk on the south lawn of the White House in Washington on Dec. 23, 2020. Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
Zachary Stieber
Updated:

President Donald Trump on Sunday urged supporters to join the planned protests in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021.

“See you in Washington, DC, on January 6th. Don’t miss it,” Trump wrote in a tweet, promising more information later.

A number of groups are planning to gather in the nation’s capital next month as members of Congress convene in a joint session to count electoral votes.

At least 11 members or members-elect in the House of Representatives plan to object to electoral votes. They have not yet received a commitment from a senator; challenges require both a representative and a member of the upper congressional chamber. The objection wouldn’t be upheld unless a majority of each chamber vote in favor of it.

Trump has repeatedly called on Republican senators to object to the votes, alleging widespread election fraud in swing states.

About two dozen GOP senators have already said they will not object to the votes, according to an Epoch Times tally. Others have indicated they would not join in an objection.

Five senators have said they’re open to objecting to the votes, as is Sen.-elect Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), while the rest haven’t ruled it out.

Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) speaks to reporters in Washington on Dec. 15, 2020. (Rod Lamkey/Pool/Getty Images)
Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) speaks to reporters in Washington on Dec. 15, 2020. Rod Lamkey/Pool/Getty Images
Senate GOP leadership have criticized plans to object to votes. Majority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) said the move “would go down like a shot dog.”

Other lawmakers have also taken shots at those pushing for objections.

“All this talk about Jan 6th from @realDonaldTrump and other congressional grifters is simply explained: they will raise money and gain followers by blaming everyone else knowing full well they can’t do anything. It’s sad, and an utter scam,” Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) said in a tweet.

Trump earlier this month said the Jan. 6 protests “will be wild.”

Ali Alexander, the lead organizer of the “Stop the Steal” protest movement, said in a live broadcast early Monday that he and Reps. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), and Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) came up with the idea of protesting in D.C. as lawmakers count the electoral votes.

“It was to build momentum and pressure, and then on the day change hearts and minds of congresspeoples who weren’t yet decided, or saw everyone outside and said, ‘I can’t be on the other side of that mob,’” he said.

Citing internal metrics, Alexander said he expects 1.5 million people to show up. “This may be the biggest event in D.C. history,” he claimed.

Zachary Stieber
Zachary Stieber
Senior Reporter
Zachary Stieber is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times based in Maryland. He covers U.S. and world news. Contact Zachary at [email protected]
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