Five years after a violent mob stormed the US Capitol, the administration of President Donald Trump has launched a controversial effort to recast the events of that day. This move has thrown a harsh spotlight on the past social media posts of a key cabinet member, which now stand in direct opposition to the official White House line.
A White House Website Revisits January 6
On Tuesday, 6 January 2026, marking the fifth anniversary of the attack, the Trump White House unveiled a new website promoting what critics label a false narrative of the Capitol riot. The site attempts to downplay the severity of the assaults that unfolded within the halls of Congress.
The platform shifts blame onto law enforcement officials, accusing them of "deliberately escalating tensions." It further criticises Democrats for a purported failure to secure the Capitol building and describes then-Vice President Mike Pence as cowardly for not disputing Joe Biden's 2020 election victory. The site falsely concludes that a "stolen election was certified" as a result.
Rubio's Tweets: A Blistering Real-Time Rebuke
In the wake of the website's launch, old posts from Marco Rubio – then a Republican senator from Florida, now Trump's Secretary of State – have dramatically resurfaced. These posts, made in real time as the riot unfolded, present a starkly different account.
At 3:01 p.m. on 6 January 2021, as rioters tried to breach the Speaker's lobby, Rubio wrote: "There is nothing patriotic about what is occurring on Capitol Hill. This is 3rd world style anti-American anarchy." Minutes later, he appealed directly to President Trump on the platform then known as Twitter.
"Mr. President @realDonaldTrump the men & women of law enforcement are under assault," he stated. "It is crucial you help restore order by sending resources to assist the police and ask those doing this to stand down."
Later that day, in a speech on the Senate floor, Rubio delivered a scathing indictment, comparing the chaos to the unstable nations his immigrant neighbours had fled. The following day, after the election certification was completed, he again took to social media to criticise those who misled Trump's supporters about the electoral process.
A Diplomatic Silence on Domestic Matters
Since assuming the role of Secretary of State, Rubio has largely avoided commenting on the January 6 riot he once forcefully condemned. This shift became evident during a January interview with ABC News, following Trump's pardon of approximately 1,500 individuals involved in the riot.
When pressed by host George Stephanopoulos about his past remarks, Rubio declined to engage. "I won't be opining on domestic matters at this point," he stated, clarifying that his focus is now singularly on foreign policy and interactions with allies.
A spokesperson for Secretary Rubio did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Independent. The resurfaced tweets now create an undeniable tension between his past, public condemnation and the current administration's revisionist stance, highlighting the enduring political divisions surrounding one of the most consequential days in recent American history.
