Trump used the word 'peacefully' once during pre-Capitol riot speech. He said 'fight' 20 times, impeachment manager notes.

(Image credit: Screenshot/Twitter/CBS)

last updated 10 February 2021

Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), one of the House impeachment managers, on Wednesday took on the job of deconstructing the speech former President Donald Trump gave at a Jan. 6 rally before the crowd of his supporters marched to the Capitol and violently breached the building.

Trump's defense is expected to focus heavily on the argument that Trump's remarks during the speech were metaphorical and that he wasn't literally imploring his supporters to "fight" on his behalf, and, therefore, didn't incite an insurrection. Dean's statement alone likely won't convince Republicans who are prepared to acquit Trump, but she did highlight the fact that throughout the nearly 11,000-word speech — "yes, we did check," she said — there was only one single point that Trump used the word "peacefully" or suggested non-violent action. Meanwhile, he said "fight" or "fighting" 20 times. Tim O'Donnell

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Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.