On Sunday, January 5, 2025, President Joe Biden urged Americans in a Washington Post op-ed to remember the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, emphasizing the nation’s collective responsibility to preserve the truth of that day.
The publication came ahead of Congress convening to certify Republican Donald Trump’s election as president—a stark reminder of the failed attempt nearly four years ago, when a mob stormed the Capitol to block the certification of Trump’s 2020 election defeat. The op-ed also preceded Trump’s imminent return to the presidency in two weeks.
Biden expressed confidence that the upcoming certification process would proceed peacefully but cautioned against ongoing efforts to distort or erase the events of January 6.
“There’s been a relentless campaign to rewrite—or even erase—the history of that day, to deny what we all witnessed with our own eyes,” Biden wrote. He underscored the importance of ensuring future generations learn the truth through eyewitness accounts, documented footage, and history books.
Biden has consistently depicted Trump as a threat to democratic values, highlighting Trump’s refusal to accept his 2020 loss as a defining concern. Biden, who made the defense of democracy a cornerstone of his leadership, ended his re-election campaign in July, citing growing concerns about his age. His successor as the Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, has similarly criticized Trump’s stance on democracy.
Trump, set to begin a second non-consecutive term, continues to reject the legitimacy of his 2020 defeat and has promoted false narratives about the Capitol attack. He has pledged widespread pardons for individuals convicted of crimes tied to the January 6 insurrection, including assaults on law enforcement officers.
Biden concluded his message with a call to action: “In time, there will be Americans who didn’t witness the Jan. 6 riot firsthand. Their understanding will depend on the truths we pass down. We must ensure that truth endures.
