GOP rally recites Pledge of Allegiance to flag flown by Jan. 6 insurrectionists

Attendees at a Wednesday night Virginia rally for the state's Republican ticket recited the Pledge of Allegiance to a flag allegedly flown during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot (which they claimed to be a "peaceful" event).
The "Take Back Virginia" rally, headlined by former Trump adviser Stephen Bannon, was aimed at galvanizing the GOP's right-wing base ahead of the state's "critical November elections," reports The Washington Post. Although the party's nominee for governor, Glenn Youngkin, did not attend the event, he received a "warm embrace from Trump, who called in by phone," The Associated Press reports. And despite his absence, Youngkin thanked organizer John Fredericks "profusely" for arranging the event and "supplied him with campaign signs to hand out," Fredericks told the Post. Politico notes that Youngkin has, in a "needle-threading" exercise, been trying to "conjure the spirit of Trump" without having Trump come to Virginia himself, so as to avoid scaring away any "GOP-curious independents."
Bannon kicked off the Wednesday rally "by repeating Trump's false claims about the 2020 election and predicting Trump's return — in 2024, if not before," writes the Post. And when it was Trump's turn to call in, he called Youngkin a "great gentleman" before asserting that "we're gonna win it again."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"We won in 2016. We won in 2020 — the most corrupt election in the history of our country, probably one of the most corrupt anywhere," Trump said. "But we're gonna win it again."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
How did the Wagner Group recruit young British men for arson attack?
Today's Big Question Russian operatives have been using encrypted messaging apps to groom saboteurs across Europe
-
The best graphic novels
The Week Recommends These inventive illustrated books will transport you to another world
-
How a UK wealth tax could work
A levy could be on the agenda as Rachel Reeves attempts to get the nation's finances back on track
-
'The way AI is discussed makes it seem like this is a necessary outcome'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
New tariffs set on 14 trading partners
Speed Read A new slate of tariffs will begin August 1 on imports from Japan, South Korea, Thailand and more
-
New tariffs set on 14 trading partners
Speed Read A new slate of tariffs will begin on August 1, with rates ranging from 25% to 40% on imports from Japan, South Korea, Thailand and more
-
Iran: Is regime change possible?
Feature The U.S.-Israeli attack exposed cracks in Iran's regime
-
Elon Musk launching 'America Party'
Speed Read The tech mogul promised to form a new political party if Trump's megabill passed Congress
-
How will Trump's megabill affect you?
Today's Big Question Republicans have passed the 'big, beautiful bill' through Congress
-
Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban at US border
Speed Read The president violated federal law by shutting down the US-Mexico border to asylum seekers, said the ruling
-
How successful would Elon Musk's third party be?
Today's Big Question Musk has vowed to start a third party after falling out with Trump