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Trump’s January 6 coup d’état

January 6, 2021, marked a turning point in American and world history. On that day, a fascist mob summoned by then-president Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol in an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election and establish a presidential dictatorship. As the World Socialist Web Site wrote the very next day, “Not only can a fascist coup happen here. It did happen here.” The attack was the culmination of a months-long conspiracy spearheaded by Trump, aimed at blocking the transfer of power through violence, with the backing of fascistic militia groups and sections of the state apparatus. The coup failed narrowly, not because of the strength of American democracy, but due to the inexperience and disorganization of the plotters—and the cowardice and complicity of the Democratic Party.

The WSWS has explained from the beginning that January 6 was the outcome of the breakdown of American democracy . This page includes a selection of some of the most important statements and articles published prior to, during and after the January 6 coup.

On Jan. 6, 2021 right-wing rioters loyal to President Donald Trump storm the US Capitol in Washington in a coup attempt. [AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana]
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