Republicans have revived an old conspiracy theory that the so-called Deep State staged the January 6 insurrection, after failing to correctly read and understand a batch of documents.
The GOP-led House Select Subcommittee on January 6 announced on X Friday that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had “finally” revealed that it had deployed 276 agents to the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
A closer look at the document revealed that the agents were responding to the rioters, not inciting them. “This number includes agents that responded to the Capitol grounds as well as inside the Capitol, the pipe bombs, and the red truck that was believed to contain explosive devices as well as CDCs/ADCs.”
Crucially, Republicans have still provided no evidence that those working with law enforcement were involved in planning the deadly riot, or instigating violence that day.
Not only is this not a bombshell—it’s not even new. The Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General already reported in December 2024 that the FBI had deployed agents to the Capitol as part of a review of its handling of the incident.
“After the Capitol had been breached on January 6 by rioters, and in response to a request from the USCP, the FBI deployed several hundred Special Agents and employees to the U.S. Capitol and the surrounding area,” the report said.
Still, Just The News, a conservative blog, reported that plainclothes agents had been “secretly” deployed, though the after-action report the it referenced said absolutely nothing about what they were wearing. President Donald Trump shared the article on Truth Social, writing “Wow: A Radical Left Democrat Scam!” And failed Arizona Republican Kari Lake shared Trump’s post on X saying “They staged a riot on January 6 to frame patriotic Americans and cover-up a stolen election. Justice is coming.”
But Republicans have never needed any proof to fuel this particular conspiracy theory. In July 2023, Trump shared a meme on Truth Social claiming “JANUARY 6 WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS THE DAY THE GOVERNMENT STAGED A RIOT TO COVER UP THE FACT THAT THEY CERTIFIED A FRAUDULENT ELECTION.”
The post Illiterate Republicans Have Reignited a January 6 Conspiracy Theory appeared first on New Republic.
