It hasbeen almost one year since a mob supportingnow-former President Donald Trump fueled by baseless voter fraud claims stormed the U.S. Capitolon Jan. 6 in an attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.
The attack led to deaths, injuries andmore than700 arrests, and it temporarily halted Congress' certification of President Joe Bidens Electoral College win. In the following months, a flurry of falsehoods and conspiracy theories about the riot were promoted online, where debunked claimscontinue to circulate.
Special access for subscribers!Click here to sign up for our fact-check text chat
With the first anniversary of the Capitol riot approaching, heres a roundup of USA TODAYs fact checksrelating to theinsurrection that touch on election misinformation, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's role in the attack, misleading images and videos, claims about politicians, comparisons to past demonstrations and even false claims that reports predicted the attack.
Capitol rioters charged in the Jan. 6 attack have cited the baseless narrative that the 2020 presidential election was stolen by Democrats.The myth waspromoted by Trump, his closest allies and conservative media personalities, all of whom relied on false claimsabout election technology, vote counting, mail-in ballots and voter turnout.
Biden legally won the presidential race by more than 7 million votes, and his victory was certified by the Electoral College. Hand recounts and independent audits across the country did not change the election's outcome and failed to turn upany evidence of widespread wrongdoing by poll workers or voters.But that still didnt stop people from claiming otherwise.
The claim: The 2020 presidential election was 'rigged'
Our rating: False
A mountain of evidence including lawsuits, recounts, forensic audits and partisan reviewshave all affirmed the election results. Officials from both parties have repeatedly debunked claims of widespread voter fraud. With 306 electoral votes, Biden beat Trump in the election. Read more
The claim: Dominion Voting Systems deleted votes for Trump, switched votes to Biden
Our rating: False
There is no evidence Dominion, a private company supplying voting systems in 28 states, deleted or changed votes in the 2020 election, according to a national coalition and election law experts. A few counties experienced minor technology issues on Election Day, but the errors did not affect the vote counts. Read more
The claim: Several key states had more ballots cast than registered voters
Our rating: False
Data and individual state reporting reviewed by USA TODAY shows no state in the U.S. had more than 100% voter turnout in the 2020 election. Posts claiming differently are using improper data sets or flawed data analysis techniques. Read more
The claim: Nevada's presidential election included duplicate voting, dead voters, fake addresses, noncitizens voting andout of state voters
Our rating: False
Claims about widespread voter fraud in Nevada's 2020 election stem from a failed lawsuit, and a district court concluded that no illegal votes were cast and counted. Biden won Nevada's six electoral votes. Read more.
The claim: An audit 'conclusively shows'voter fraud affected Arizona's election outcome
Our rating: False
An audit of Arizona's 2020 election results conducted by cybersecurity firm Cyber Ninjas did not surface any evidence of widespread voter fraud that changed the election's outcome. The review, along with other handrecounts,confirmed Biden won Maricopa County. Read more.
The claim: An investigation found more 'illegal votes'cast in Wisconsin in 2020 than Joe Biden's margin of victory
Our rating: False
A report from the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty investigating the integrity of the 2020 election found no evidence of widespread fraud, and the group's findings were misstated online. A hand recount, audit and lawsuits confirmed Biden's victory in Wisconsin. Read more.
Here are more fact-checksanalyzingwhats true and false about the 2020 electionand voting by mail.
Just hours after rioters breached the Capitol, misinformation about what happened spread rapidly on social media, and a false narrative blaming anti-fascist activists for inciting the violence made its way to the House floor that same evening. Many such claims circulated throughout 2021.
The claim: A facial recognition firm claimed Antifa infiltrated pro-Trump rioters at the Capitol
Our rating: False
Claims that members of Antifa disguised as Trump supporters orchestrated the insurrection are baseless and stem from a rumor that a facial recognition company identified left-wing activistsamong the rioters. The technology firm mentioned in the claims refuted the story, and there is no evidence Antifa was responsible for the attack. Read more
The claim: The shirtless man pictured in the Capitol breach is with Antifa and Black Lives Matter
Our rating: False
Jake Angeli, a man who was pictured at the Capitol shirtless wearing a fur hat with horns, is a well-known Trump and QAnon supporter he is not tied to Black Lives Matter or Antifa. The claim is part of the false larger conspiracytheory that Trumps supporters were not actually behind the riot. Read more
The claim: A "known Antifa member"was paid $70,000 for his video of the riot
Our rating: Partly false
News outlets paid Utah activist John Sullivan roughly $90,000 for video footage he captured during the Capitol riot, but he is not linked to any anti-fascist groups and has denied being associated with the movement. Read more
The claim: FBI operatives organized the attack on the U.S. Capitol
Our rating: False
Theres no evidence unindicted co-conspirators listed in federal charging documents related to the Jan. 6 attack are undercover FBI agents or federal informants. Legal experts say the term cant be used to describe undercover government operatives. Rioters have been identified by authorities as Trump supporters, conspiracy theorists and members of far-right groups. Read more
The claim: CNN employees took part in the riot
Our rating: False
Posts claiming CNN employees were among the Capitol rioters are unfounded. Jade Sacker, mentioned in the claims, is a freelance journalist and has never worked for the cable news outlet. Read more
The claim: A man died froma heart attack after accidentallyusinga stun gun on himself at the Capitol riot
Our rating: False
Kevin Greeson of Alabama died on the Capitol grounds after a heart attack, and his wife told USA TODAY he had a history of high blood pressure. He did not accidentally stun himself.Read more
The claim: The FBI told a Senate committee that the FBI did not recover any guns at the riot
Our rating: Missing context
Jill Sanborn, assistant director of the FBIs counterterrorism division,said the FBI did not recover any firearms at the Capitol riot. But she also noted that she cannot speak for other law enforcement agencies. The Department of Justicecharged rioters with bringing firearms to the Capitol grounds. Read more
Social media users have triedto shift blame by spreading false claims aboutPelosi in the wake of the Capitol attack.
The claim: Pelosi rejected Trump's request for 10,000 National Guard troops to be deployed before Jan. 6
Our rating: False
Trumps claim that Pelosi blocked his formal request for 10,000 National Guard troops ahead of the "Stop the Steal" rally isfalse. The Pentagon said there is no record of the request, and Pelosis office said she was not contacted about deploying the National Guard. Testimony and a Department of Defense memo about Jan. 6 also confirms that. Read more
The claim: Nancy Pelosi was in charge of Capitol Police on Jan. 6
Our rating: False
Pelosi was not in charge of the Capitol Police at the time of the riot. The agency is overseen by the Capitol Police Board, which is made up of the House and Senate sergeants-at-arms and the Capitol architect. Read more.
The claim: Nancy Pelosi refuses to take responsibility for causing the insurrection
Our rating: False
In short, Pelosi wasn't responsible. Capitol Police told USA TODAY that committees from the House and Senate and a Capitol Police Board are responsible for overseeing operations, not Pelosi. Read more
The claim: Pelosi won't let Capitol Police testify about what happened on Jan. 6
Our rating: False
The claim that Pelosi is blocking testimonyis a reversal of what actually happened. Republican lawmakers tried to stop a hearing from taking place, while Democrats pushed for one. Read more
The claim: Special forcestook Nancy Pelosi's laptop during the riot
Our rating: False
A laptop belonging to the House speaker's office was stolen by pro-Trump rioters, not special forces. Read more
Photos and videosof the Capitol riot went viral online. But in many cases, the footage was doctored, outdated or unrelated to Jan. 6.
The claim: Police officer is the man who carrieda Confederate flag during the Capitol riot
Our rating: False
An image purporting to show a police officer carrying a Confederate flag during the attack is false. The man in the photo was identified by the FBI as Kevin Seefried, who was charged in connection with the riot. He is not a police officer.
The claim: Capitol workers threw away an American flag as they prepared for the transition of power
Our rating: Missing context
Capitol employees did not throw out an American flag in preparation for Bidens inauguration. The photo was captured in the aftermath of the riot. Read more
The claim: Video shows Trump family celebrating the riot from a nearby tent
Our rating: False
Days after the riot, a video went viral purporting to show the Trump family celebrating amid the attack. But monitors seen in the clip as well asa timeline of the events on Jan. 6 prove the video was captured before Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol.Read more
The claim: Chuck Norris was at the Capitol riot
Our rating: False
Martial artist and actor Chuck Norris did not take part in the riot. His manager told USA TODAY he was on his ranchin Texas on Jan. 6 and confirmed that a photo on social media of a man resembling Norrisis not actually him. Read more
The claim: Images show pro-Trump rally in Washington, D.C., in January
Our rating: False
Photos of crowds at the 2018 March for Our Lives rally and 2017 Womens March were passed off on social media as pro-Trump demonstrations on Jan. 6. Read more
The claim: Image shows a caravan of Trump supporters traveling to Washington
Our rating: False
A photo purporting to show dozens of vehicles heading to Washington to protest the presidential election results on Jan. 6 was actually taken in San Francisco at a pro-Trump truck rally inOctober 2020. Read more
The claim: A viral video shows a man screaming about being placed on the no-fly listbecause of the riot at the Capitol
Our rating: False
A video shows a man being asked to leave an American Airlines flight for a mask violation, not for being placed on the no-fly list because of the Capitol riot. Read more
The claim: Demonstrators erected a cross in front of the Capitol
Our rating: Missing context
A photo showspro-Trump demonstrators erected a cross in front of the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, not in Washington.Read more
The claim: The insurrection was an event hosted by the Stanford Federalist Society
Our rating: Satire
An image of an event flyer claiming the Capitol riot took place during astudent-run Stanford Federalist Society meeting with guest speakers Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is fake. Read more
A number of hoaxes concerning the whereabouts of politicians during the Capitol riot and their responses circulated online afterthe insurrection.
The claim:Acting Pardon Attorney Rosalind Sargent-Burns said Trump was "strongly considering"pardoning Capitol rioters
Our rating: False
Trump didnt pardon Capitol rioters during his final days in office. At the time, the Justice Department issued a statement saying it was not involved in efforts to pardon people involved with the heinousacts" that took place at the Capitol. Read more
The claim: Rep. Lauren Boebert took a photo with rioters before a tour of Capitol on Jan. 5
Our rating: False
An image claiming to show Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., with rioters at the Capitol a day before the attack was actually captured in December 2019 at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. She was posing with members of several pro-Trump groups. Read more
The claim: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted that Capitol rioters stole her shoes
Our rating: False
Read this article:
Fact check roundup: Debunking false narratives about the Jan. 6 Capitol riot - USA TODAY
- Eagle: Antifa isn't a terrorist organization because it isn't an organization - Pamplin Media Group [Last Updated On: June 24th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 24th, 2020]
- Fact vs Fiction: Police weigh in on online firestorm over 4th of July in Gettysburg - FOX43.com [Last Updated On: July 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 4th, 2020]
- COLUMN: In the zone: CHAZ, Antifa and fascists - Colorado Springs Gazette [Last Updated On: July 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 4th, 2020]
- Fact check: Before Obama there was no Black Lives Matter, but there was ISIS and antifa - USA TODAY [Last Updated On: July 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 4th, 2020]
- The Trump campaign and Antifa | Opinion | journal-spectator.com - Wharton Journal Spectator [Last Updated On: July 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 4th, 2020]
- Your View: BLM and Antifa are enemies of the US attacking from within - Bristol Herald Courier [Last Updated On: July 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 4th, 2020]
- Gettysburg on July 4th: What we know about flag burning protest and Antifa rumors - The Evening Sun [Last Updated On: July 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 4th, 2020]
- Antifa, YPG/PKK ties threaten national peace in West - Anadolu Agency [Last Updated On: July 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 4th, 2020]
- Fact-checking the weeks lies, misinformation - Echo Pilot [Last Updated On: July 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 15th, 2020]
- NOT REAL NEWS: A look at what didn't happen this week - Minneapolis Star Tribune [Last Updated On: July 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 15th, 2020]
- Think About It: Intimidation prospective - Sequim Gazette [Last Updated On: July 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 15th, 2020]
- Letters to the editor - News - The Hutchinson News [Last Updated On: July 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 15th, 2020]
- Chaotic protests prompt soul-searching in Portland, Oregon - The Associated Press [Last Updated On: July 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 15th, 2020]
- No, we're not all antifa now. But we should be. - The Montgomery Herald [Last Updated On: July 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 15th, 2020]
- Leaked Documents Show Police Knew Far-Right Extremists Were the Real Threat at Protests, not Antifa - The Intercept [Last Updated On: July 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 15th, 2020]
- The police have long been a reliable source for some. But its time to reexamine that trust - Seattle Times [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- Lars Thoughts Who Needs ANTIFA To Destroy Portland? Ted Wheeler Is Doing A Good Job All On His Own - 550 KTSA [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- From Antifa to Mothers in Helmets, Diverse Elements Fuel Portland Protests - The New York Times [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- Antifa Is Mostly Made Up Of Privileged White Dudes [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- Who are Antifa? - Anti-Defamation League [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- What or Who is Antifa? [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- ANTIFA.COM | Join Us & Take Action Now [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- Rally in Rodney Square calls for restoring of statues - The News Journal [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Portland rioters burn city in 'solidarity' with Kenosha - The Post Millennial [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Take that, Trump - or Antifa! Dueling narratives over appeals courts partial rollback of anti-riot law - RT [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Letters To The Editor: August 26, 2020 - The Rhino Times of Greensboro - The Rhino TImes [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Oregon professor arrested during Portland Antifa riots - Campus Reform [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Facebook's Ban on Far-Left Pages Is an Extension of Trump Propaganda - The Intercept - First Look Media [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Two standards of justice | Letters to the Editor | thecourierexpress.com - The Courier-Express [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- The Two Biggest Cons in Town: BLM and ANTIFA - The Published Reporter [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Riot in Portland as armed pro and anti-Trump groups fight with clubs, shields and bricks - Daily Express [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Locals have organized against Black Lives Matter, leading to street fights, standoffs - The Register-Guard [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Is the FBI Avoiding Telling Trump His Far-Right Supporters Are a Threat? - Vanity Fair [Last Updated On: October 27th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 27th, 2020]
- Lawyers Say Philly Officials Are Partaking In 'Italophobia' By Allowing Antifa to Target Them - YC [Last Updated On: October 27th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 27th, 2020]
- Trump supporters face string of attacks in run-up to Election Day: What we know about the suspects - Fox News [Last Updated On: October 27th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 27th, 2020]
- Looking at the ideologies of the Whitmer kidnapping plot suspects - PolitiFact [Last Updated On: October 27th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 27th, 2020]
- My week with the baying Antifa mob - Spectator.co.uk [Last Updated On: October 27th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 27th, 2020]
- On second thought, Minnesota doesn't need to 'protect election polls' from 'the antifas' - City Pages [Last Updated On: October 27th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 27th, 2020]
- From the Army to Antifa: Ex-private accused by feds of throwing explosive at Portland riot - The Post Millennial [Last Updated On: October 27th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 27th, 2020]
- Republican Plays the Antifa Card on Suburban Women of the Chathams - InsiderNJ [Last Updated On: October 27th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 27th, 2020]
- Lafayette government argues in lawsuit that fake antifa events aren't protected free speech - Daily Advertiser [Last Updated On: October 27th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 27th, 2020]
- In the Streets with Antifa - The New Yorker [Last Updated On: October 27th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 27th, 2020]
- How the Fight Over Spains Anti-Fascist Legacy Involves a Former Nation Editor - The Nation [Last Updated On: January 3rd, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 3rd, 2021]
- The Nashville Bombing and Threats to Critical Infrastructure: We Saw This Coming - War on the Rocks [Last Updated On: January 3rd, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 3rd, 2021]
- Louie Gohmert Suggests People Go to the Streets and Be Violent After Judge Throws Out Baseless Election Suit - Rolling Stone [Last Updated On: January 3rd, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 3rd, 2021]
- Democrats are now paying the price for empowering Antifa - New York Post [Last Updated On: January 3rd, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 3rd, 2021]
- Far-Right Violence Will Continue With or Without Trump - The Intercept [Last Updated On: January 5th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 5th, 2021]
- New Year, Same News: Trump Pushes for Election Fraud, Minneapolis Police Kill Black Man, and Wheeler Bemoans Antifa - The Portland Mercury [Last Updated On: January 5th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 5th, 2021]
- An Open Letter to Patriot Prayer and the Proud Boys (CC: ANTIFA) - CounterPunch [Last Updated On: January 5th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 5th, 2021]
- Va. GOP chair, former delegate alleges without evidence that antifa was involved in attack on U.S. Capitol - Prince William Times [Last Updated On: January 15th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 15th, 2021]
- Scot Scoop News | ScotSkim: Ashli Babbitt, QAnon, and Antifa - Scot Scoop News [Last Updated On: January 15th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 15th, 2021]
- Reports: McCarthy rebuked Trump over Antifa, election claims - The Bakersfield Californian [Last Updated On: January 15th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 15th, 2021]
- Last week's Capitol insurrection shows that antifa was right - San Antonio Current [Last Updated On: January 15th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 15th, 2021]
- From antifa to the man in the horned fur hat: PolitiFact checked the gamut of claims about the Capitol riot. Here is a run down. - Austin... [Last Updated On: January 15th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 15th, 2021]
- House GOP leader says Trump both sought to blame antifa for Capitol violence and admitted he's partly responsible - CBS News [Last Updated On: January 15th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 15th, 2021]
- BLM activist, Antifa, anarchist or FBI asset? What we know so far about John Sullivan, who was spotted instigating mobs at Capitol Hill - OpIndia [Last Updated On: January 15th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 15th, 2021]
- Photographer John Cocozza assaulted and threatened by ANTIFA at Pacific Beach demonstration - - KUSI [Last Updated On: January 15th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 15th, 2021]
- House GOP leader tells members to quit spreading lies on riot, antifa | TheHill - The Hill [Last Updated On: January 15th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 15th, 2021]
- Place the blame where it belongs. Trump's rabid supporters, not antifa, stormed the Capitol. - USA TODAY [Last Updated On: January 15th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 15th, 2021]
- A Florida teacher was filmed falsely telling students 'Antifa' was behind the Capitol riots - Insider - INSIDER [Last Updated On: January 15th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 15th, 2021]
- No evidence that antifa incited Ashli Babbitt shooting - PolitiFact [Last Updated On: January 15th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 15th, 2021]
- How the antifa conspiracy theory traveled from the fringe to the floor of Congress - USA TODAY [Last Updated On: January 15th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 15th, 2021]
- The far-right rioters at the Capitol were not antifa but violent groups often blame rivals for unpopular attacks - The Conversation US [Last Updated On: January 15th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 15th, 2021]
- Mother gets perfectly called out by her kid for believing Antifa attacked the Capitol - indy100 [Last Updated On: January 19th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 19th, 2021]
- Andy Ngos antifa book No. 1 weeks before release - Washington Examiner [Last Updated On: January 19th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 19th, 2021]
- Chilling posters reveal Antifa is planning to clash with Trump fans at Inauguration Day riots - The Sun [Last Updated On: January 19th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 19th, 2021]
- How Republicans Are Warping Reality Around the Capitol Attack - The New York Times [Last Updated On: January 19th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 19th, 2021]
- The Gainesville 8 was the antifa of its time - Gainesville Sun [Last Updated On: January 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 25th, 2021]
- Antifa.com Redirects You to Whitehouse.gov--at Least It Is Today - newstalk870.am [Last Updated On: January 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 25th, 2021]
- Portland and Seattle residents slam 'weak' response to Antifa riots - New York Post [Last Updated On: January 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 25th, 2021]
- No Reports of Violence as Antifa Hits Sacramento Streets on Inauguration Day - CBS Sacramento [Last Updated On: January 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 25th, 2021]
- Antifa.com now redirects to the White Houses website. This doesnt mean anything. - Mashable [Last Updated On: January 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 25th, 2021]
- Letter to the editor: Trump is who we needed - Watauga Democrat [Last Updated On: January 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 29th, 2021]
- Jonah Goldberg: Both sides need to condemn bad actors - Grand Forks Herald [Last Updated On: January 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 29th, 2021]
- Ohio Man Radicalized by Trump Tried to Blame Riots on Antifa While Admitting He Was in the Capitol. It Didnt Work. - Law & Crime [Last Updated On: January 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 29th, 2021]
- Candace Owens slams AOC for trying to cause an insurrection against ICE and says ANTIFA attempted to murde - The Sun [Last Updated On: January 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 29th, 2021]
- How the Media and Politicians Aided Antifa Rioters in Portland | Opinion - Newsweek [Last Updated On: January 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 29th, 2021]
- Inside Antifa With Andy Ngo - The Federalist [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2021] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2021]
- LONSBERRY: Time To Move Against Antifa And The Proud Boys | 570 WSYR | Bob Lonsberry - KFI AM 640 [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2021] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2021]
- Antifa and the Capitol: A tale of two insurrections - opinion - The Jerusalem Post [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2021] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2021]
