Washington Post investigation details red flags federal law enforcement overlooked before Jan. 6


In the weeks before the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, tips were coming into the FBI and Department of Homeland Security about explicit threats of violence made by people who said they planned on going to Washington, D.C., when Congress was certifying President Biden's victory, but top federal law enforcement officials didn't appear to understand the gravity of what was taking place, The Washington Post reports.
On Sunday, the Post published an investigation into the events of Jan. 6, after speaking with more than 230 people and going through thousands of internal law enforcement reports and memos, court documents, videos, images, and audio recordings. Tips came in from across the U.S. about people vowing online to go to D.C. to fight for former President Donald Trump.
The country's regional homeland security offices — known as fusion centers — were getting reports from social media companies about users who wrote of disrupting Congress on Jan. 6 and hurting lawmakers, the Post reports. The leaders of the fusion centers shared tips on a call a few days before Jan. 6, and afterward the head of D.C.'s fusion center became so concerned, he asked the city's health department to call local hospitals and tell them to prepare for a mass casualty event.
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.
On Dec. 20, one tipster called the FBI and said some Trump supporters, under the impression they had "orders from the president," were discussing ways to sneak guns into D.C., where they intended to "overrun" police and arrest members of Congress, the Post reports. One dismissed threat specifically mentioned Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), the Post reports.
In late December, the FBI received three screenshots of a Parler user threatening to kill politicians and stating, "Don't be surprised if we take the #capital building." The FBI mostly considered such posts to be "largely aspirational" and protected under the First Amendment, senior FBI officials told the Post.
One informant voluntarily sent screenshots to the FBI, saying Three Percenters militia members "literally" took a Dec. 19 Trump tweet about the "big protest" on Jan. 6 — "be there, will be wild" — and a "Fight for Trump" video he later posted as "a call to arms," the Post reports.
Several of the agencies contacted by the Post for comment said they are complying with investigations and learning from what happened to prevent future acts of violence. Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich told the Post its investigation was "fake news" and claimed the people who stormed the Capitol were "agitators not associated with" Trump.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
August 31 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday’s political cartoons include FEMA's new scheme, Gavin Newsom's antics, and a clue in the Epstein files
-
Disarming Hezbollah: Lebanon's risky mission
Talking Point Iran-backed militia has brought 'nothing but war, division and misery', but rooting them out for good is a daunting and dangerous task
-
Woof! Britain's love affair with dogs
The Explainer The UK's canine population is booming. What does that mean for man's best friend?
-
Russian strike on Kyiv kills 23, hits EU offices
Speed Read The strike was the second-largest since Russia invaded in 2022
-
UN votes to end Lebanon peacekeeping mission
Speed Read The Trump administration considers the UN's Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to be a 'waste of money'
-
Israeli double strike on Gaza hospital kills 20
Speed Read The dead include five journalists who worked for The Associated Press, Reuters and Al Jazeera
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American cities
Under the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
Kyiv marks independence as Russia downplays peace
Speed Read President Vladimir Putin has no plans to meet with Zelenskyy for peace talks pushed by President Donald Trump
-
What will security guarantees for Ukraine look like?
Today's Big Question From boots on the ground to economic sanctions, here are the measures that might stop Russia taking another bite out of Ukraine
-
Trump halts Gaza visas as Israelis protest war
Speed Read Laura Loomer voiced her concerns over injured Palestinian kids being brought to the US for treatment and a potential 'Islamic invasion'
-
Will Ukraine trade territory for peace?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION Kyiv’s defences are wearing thin but a land swap is constitutionally impossible and crosses Zelenskyy's red lines