January 6th Insurrectionists' Goals Unfulfilled Amidst Shifting Far-Right Ideology

Key Quotes

"And in his second term, Trump has disappointed many of the people who backed his insurrection -- including some of those willing to go to prison for him."

The author argues that despite the support shown by individuals willing to face imprisonment for Donald Trump, his second term has failed to meet their expectations. This suggests a disconnect between the actions of his supporters and the outcomes or policies of his administration. The speaker highlights a sense of disillusionment among those who were most committed to his cause.

"I mean, there had been protests in D.C. and in and in after Trump lost the election, but before January 6th, you know, Proud Boys would fight with Antifa or other leftist protesters and someone would get stabbed, stuff like that, and I sort of thought that that was going to be the amount of violence on January 6th."

Will Sommer explains that leading up to January 6th, he perceived the violence primarily as clashes between far-right and leftist groups, similar to previous incidents. Sommer indicates that he underestimated the potential for escalation, believing the existing level of conflict was the likely maximum. This quote reveals Sommer's initial assessment of the situation before the full scale of the January 6th events became apparent.

"And then I heard that that they were fighting, they were the protesters were breaking through the police lines on the West Side. I went over there. At the time, you know, I had already was somewhat well known and as a in terms of someone people on the right didn't like. I think if someone decided to target me, that the police had better things to do."

Will Sommer describes his experience on the ground during the January 6th events, moving towards the West Lawn as police lines were breached. Sommer notes his awareness of his public profile within certain circles, which he believed offered a degree of protection. This quote illustrates Sommer's personal observations and his assessment of his safety amidst the unfolding events.

"You know, this is a guy who there were questions about his spending. I think he spent a lot of money on steaks. Those sort of Oath Keepers who meant to, you know, be buying guns or building out the Oath Keepers. And so this is, you know, these figures, I think they, like Enrique Tarrio, they kind of depend on a big moment."

The speaker discusses Stewart Rhodes, a leader of the Oath Keepers, and raises concerns about his financial management, specifically mentioning spending on personal items like steaks. The speaker suggests that figures like Rhodes, similar to Enrique Tarrio, rely on significant events to maintain their influence. This quote points to internal issues and strategic dependencies within far-right groups.

"Well, I mean, since we're talking about January 6th, I mean, there have been all kinds of disappointments. I would say, and you mentioned the or I think probably the biggest one is releasing the Epstein files, but in the case of January 6th people in particular, I mean, I think they thought they were going to be heroes."

Will Sommer articulates the disappointment felt by those involved in the January 6th events, highlighting the unreleased Epstein files as a major grievance. Sommer suggests that individuals who participated in January 6th expected to be celebrated as heroes. This quote explains the unmet expectations and perceived lack of recognition for January 6th participants.

"But in this case, they have really, people like Alex Jones, Nick Fuentes, Gavin McInnes, the Proud Boys founder, they've really, for whatever reason, they love this war. And I think it's because they're kind of recasting America First as not sort of like, well, we look sort of look inward and and focus on building up our own country, don't get in these quagmire wars, but instead they're recasting it as sort of like America is a warlord country and we take whatever we want in that way being America First."

Will Sommer observes a shift in the rhetoric of certain far-right figures regarding foreign policy. Sommer notes that individuals like Alex Jones and Nick Fuentes, who previously advocated for an "America First" isolationist stance, now seem to support military intervention. Sommer explains this by suggesting they are redefining "America First" to mean a dominant, assertive global presence rather than inward focus.