Trump pushed the big lie that the election was stolen. Trump lost in the courts^[1](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/25/us/elections/trump-campaign-lawsuits.html) including the Supreme Court.^[2](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-55283024) Then he tried to pressure state officials.^[3](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2021/01/03/trump-pressured-georgia-election-official-call-washington-post-report-says/4119948001/) He tried to pressure Pence.^[4](https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/05/trump-pressures-pence-election-results-455069)

So what does Trump do after exhausting all nonviolent methods of overturning the election? He turns to his supporters and lights them up making inflammatory statements such as;

• We are going to fight for the survival of the nation.

• Now is not the time to retreat, its to fight harder.

• We will never give in, never back down, never surrender.

• We will fight like hell.

• You have to get your people to fight.

He primed them for weeks.

State officials had started getting death threats weeks before the attempted insurrection following the general election.^[5](https://www.npr.org/sections/biden-transition-updates/2020/12/01/940961602/someones-going-to-get-killed-ga-official-blasts-gop-silence-on-election-threats) Trump saw first hand what violence was being created as his supporters rioted and vandalized black churches in Washington back in December.^[6](https://www.thestar.com/news/world/us/2020/12/13/black-churches-vandalized-four-stabbed-dozens-arrested-at-pro-trump-rallies-in-washington.html)

Trump didn’t stop his incitement after the initial violence, he got more specific. He told his supporters how, when, and where. He gave them 18 days notice inviting them to the rally telling them to be there, that it will be wild.^[7](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/06/us/politics/capitol-mob-trump-supporters.html) And on the day of the insurrection Trump told his supporters to march on the Capitol and fight like hell.

Following the riot Trump continued to promote the big lie that had incited the insurrection. After the mob was dispersed, Trump praised and sympathized with the mob in a video he released, claiming once again that the election had been stolen.^[8](https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-tells-rioters-i-know-how-you-feel-draws-bipartisan-condemnation-11609977209) Then he praised the insurrection in a tweet after the mob had been dispersed. He told his mob to remember Jan. 6 forever. He said that he loved the insurrectionists and that the violent mob were special people.

1. New York Times - Over 30 Trump Campaign Lawsuits Have Failed. Some Rulings Are Scathing.

2. BBC - US Supreme Court rejects Trump-backed bid to overturn election

3. USA Today - Trump is heard on audiotape pressuring Georgia secretary of state to ‘find’ votes to overturn Biden’s win

4. Politico - Trump pressures Pence to throw out election results — even though he can’t

5. NPR - ‘Someone’s Going To Get Killed’: Georgia Republican Official Blasts GOP Silence On Election Threats

6. Toronto Star - Black churches vandalized, four stabbed, dozens arrested at pro-Trump rallies in Washington

7. New York Times - 'Be There. Will Be Wild!’: Trump All but Circled the Date: Inside Trump supporters’ online echo chambers, the chaos of Jan. 6 could be seen coming. People posted their plans to come to Washington — and showed the weapons they would carry.

8. Wall Street Journal - Trump Tells Rioters, ‘I Know How You Feel,’ Draws Bipartisan Condemnation