Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Capitol Officer Who Witnessed Jan. 6 Insurrection Goes Viral With Tweet About LA Protests

Aquilino Gonell
Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images

Staff Sergeant Aquilino Gonell, who lived through the Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, and testified before Congress, took to X to respond to President Trump's demand to "bring in the troops" amid protests in Los Angeles.

Staff Sergeant Aquilino Gonell, who lived through the January 6 insurrection and later testified before Congress, criticized President Donald Trump's demand to "bring in the troops" amid ongoing protests in Los Angeles against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's immigration raids.

Gonell testified after the attack that he and his fellow officers "were punched, pushed, kicked, shoved, sprayed with chemical irritants and even blinded with eye-damaging lasers by a violent mob who apparently saw us law enforcement officers, dedicated to ironically protecting them as U.S. citizens, as an impediment in their attempted insurrection."


Those words say everything about the assault by Trump's supporters, who stormed the U.S. Capitol on the false premise the 2020 election had been stolen. It's well known that Trump did not send troops to stop the insurrection despite the pleas of members of his first administration—but he sure is gung ho about sending troops to Los Angeles.

In fact, Trump took to Truth Social to declare that the situation is "really bad" in the city; so much so that he's chosen to "BRING IN THE TROOPS!!!"

 Screenshot of Donald Trump's post @realDonaldTrump/Truth Social

 

But as Gonell pointed out:

"This is what Capitol police expected him [Trump] to do on Jan 6. Yet, he didn’t."

You can see his post below.

 

Many concurred.

 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Trump has repeatedly and falsely blamed Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi for "not properly securing" the Capitol on January 6—even though the responsibility for security lies not with Pelosi but with the United States Capitol Police and its board, which can request help from federal as well as Washington, D.C., authorities.

In fact, there were numerous warnings about the possibility of an attack, but the Capitol Police planned only for a free speech demonstration and turned down offers of assistance from the Pentagon on two separate occasions.

Three days before the attack, the Pentagon had proposed deploying the National Guard. Then, as the mob advanced on the Capitol, it recommended bringing in agents from the FBI. The Capitol Police declined both offers of assistance—decisions that ultimately undermined the force’s ability to contain the escalating threat.

Contrary to what Trump may claim, his aides and allies recalled he had initially resisted sending in the National Guard even as rioters grew progressively more violent. His failure to respond has been seen as further evidence that he not only encouraged but ultimately endorsed the attack, and ultimately it was Vice President Mike Pence who mobilized the National Guard.

More from News/political-news

Screenshots from Dove's ad featuring transgender women
Dove

'One Million Moms' Calls For Dove Boycott Over Hair Care Ad Featuring Trans Woman

The vehemently transphobic conservative group One Million Moms (OMM)—an arm of the Christian fundamentalist nonprofit American Family Association (AFA)—called for a boycott of Dove products after the company featured a transgender woman in an advertisement for their Damage Therapy Intensive Repair Conditioner.

The ad garnered attention after it was shared by the social media account Libs of TikTok—run by the anti-LGBTQ+ conservative Chaya Raichik—which described the ad as an example of "another woke company trying to erase women."

Keep ReadingShow less
Alyssa Milano; Julian McMahon
Michael Kovac/Elton John AIDS Foundation/Getty Images; Marcus Ingram/The Surfer/Getty Images

Alyssa Milano Shares Poignant Tribute To 'TV Husband' Julian McMahon After His Death At 56

Actor Julian McMahon lost his battle with cancer at the age of 56 earlier this week, and to say that the Charmed, Nip/Tuck, and Fantastic Four actor touched many lives would be an understatement.

When the news of McMahon's passing went public, his Charmed costar and "TV wife" Alyssa Milano came forward and expressed her sadness and condolences on Instagram. The pair were a favorite couple on Charmed, and it was clear from her post that their care for each other extended beyond the screen.

Keep ReadingShow less

People Who Slept With Their Best Friend Describe The Aftermath

When two people have a deep and meaningful friendship, the question might eventually come up of whether or not they could be more. Agreeing that their friendship might deserve more, they might try to date or at least explore physical intimacy.

But crossing that line carries with it consequences, and it's only once the pair crosses that line that they'll find out if crossing it was good or bad.

Keep ReadingShow less
child writing on chalkboard
Leonardo Toshiro Okubo on Unsplash

Bilingual People Explain Which Words They're Surprised Don't Exist In English

According to one report, approximately 3.3 billion people worldwide—43 % of the population—are multilingual, meaning they speak at least two languages. According to the last Census, 21.6% of people in the United States speak more than one language, while in the United Kingdom, the number is 36%.

More multilingual people speak English as a second language than English speakers who have learned another language besides English. Worldwide, people who learned English as a first language rate among the lowest in multilingual rates.

Keep ReadingShow less
Andrew Garfield at the 2025 Glastonbury Festival
Harry Durrant/Getty Images

Andrew Garfield meets fan with wild tweet!

American actor Andrew Garfield had a funny yet awkward reunion with a fan from a viral “Thirst Tweet” featured on Buzzfeed Celeb.

The Thirst Tweet compilation shows celebrities reading a collection of scandalous tweets from fans commenting on their looks, attractiveness, and sex appeal. Blushing stars include James McAvoy, Renee Rapp, Keanu Reeves, Anthony Mackie, and more recently, Brad Pitt and Javier Bardem, as they promote F1 the Movie that was released in theaters last week.

Keep ReadingShow less