Five Years After Jan. 6: How the White House Is Recasting the Story — And What’s Next in House Special Elections

Five years after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, President Donald Trump is taking a set of actions and messaging steps that together seek to reshape how that day is remembered. That effort combines mass pardons, personnel changes at the Justice Department and FBI, and a newly launched White House webpage that presents an alternate narrative of the events.

Rewriting The Narrative

On his first day back in the White House, President Trump issued broad pardons for people charged in connection with the Jan. 6 breach. Senior Justice Department officials and FBI personnel who played central roles in the sprawling investigation and prosecutions have been dismissed, and other allies who challenged the 2020 election outcome have received pre-emptive pardons.

The White House unveiled an official webpage that frames the crowd as largely peaceful and attributes escalation to the police response. The page’s timeline labels the certification of results as a “Stolen Election Certified” and repeats false claims that former Vice President Mike Pence betrayed President Trump by refusing to block certification of electoral votes.

Mike Pence posted on X that Jan. 6 was a “tragic day,” but added it “became a triumph of freedom when, after Capitol Police quelled the violence, leaders in both chambers in both political parties reconvened the very same day and finished democracy’s work under the Constitution.”

Anniversary Demonstrations And Reactions

Pro-Trump demonstrators gathered near the Capitol on the anniversary. A small group of pardoned Jan. 6 defendants attended, and former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio told the crowd they sought “retribution” against journalists and prosecutors involved in Jan. 6 cases.

At the Capitol, House Speaker Mike Johnson said a statutorily required plaque honoring officers who defended the building on Jan. 6 is “not implementable” and will not be displayed as the law mandates — a decision that has drawn criticism from veterans’ and law enforcement groups.

What The President Said

Speaking to House Republicans at the Kennedy Center, President Trump reiterated the false claim that the 2020 election was “rigged.” He also warned that Democrats would try to impeach him again if they retake the House this fall.

Two New House Special Elections — Very Different Circumstances

Two House special elections surfaced for different reasons:

• Georgia’s 14th District: Gov. Brian Kemp set March 10 for a special election to fill the seat vacated by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. The contest will be a jungle primary with all candidates on the same ballot; if no candidate wins a majority, the top two will face a runoff four weeks later. The district is heavily Republican — Trump carried it by 37 points in both 2020 and 2024.
• California’s 1st District: A special election will follow the sudden death of Rep. Doug LaMalfa. Gov. Gavin Newsom has up to two weeks to issue a proclamation setting the date; the earliest possible election would be about 18 weeks after that proclamation (likely mid-to-late May), and the latest could fall in mid-July. Although the district is currently Republican-leaning (Trump won it by 25 points in 2024), mid-decade redistricting approved last November will dismantle the 1st District for the November general election, reducing the new incumbent’s prospects for a full term.

These vacancies temporarily leave Republicans with a narrow House majority.

Other Special Elections And Political Notes

• Two additional contests are already on the calendar: a Jan. 31 runoff in Texas’ 18th District (Democrats are guaranteed to retain the seat) and an April special election in New Jersey’s 11th District to replace Democrat Mikie Sherrill, who became governor.
• Democrats have outperformed 2024 presidential results in recent special elections this Congress, boosting their chances in some races.

Quick Items Around The Political World

• The White House said using the military is “always an option” if President Trump pursues acquiring Greenland.
• Trump urged House Republicans to consider being “a little flexible” on the Hyde Amendment in debates over Obamacare subsidy policy.
• Wyoming’s Supreme Court ruled that abortion will remain legal in that state.
• Justice Department filings indicate more than 2 million files related to Jeffrey Epstein remain to be released.
• George Conway, a longtime conservative lawyer and Trump critic, launched a Democratic bid for Congress in Manhattan.
• Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro reported more than $30 million on hand for his reelection campaign at the end of 2025.
• Republicans in two Texas counties backed away from plans to count primary ballots by hand.

This update was compiled by the NBC News Politics team. If you have feedback, email politicsnewsletter@nbcuni.com. To receive this briefing in your inbox, sign up on NBCNews.com.