As the first Proud Boys member pleads guilty for their involvement in the January 6 attack, it’s worth remembering Donald Trump’s role inciting groups like the Proud Boys to attack the Capitol and try to overturn an election.

Donald Trump told the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by.” 

Reuters: “Debate moderator Chris Wallace asked Trump if he was willing to condemn white supremacists and militia groups and tell them to ‘stand down’ and not add to violence during recent protests in U.S. cities such as Portland, Oregon, and Kenosha, Wisconsin. Trump agreed to do that, asking, ‘Who would you like me to condemn?’ Biden interjected: ‘The Proud Boys.’ Trump then urged the Proud Boys to ‘stand back and stand by,’ but quickly turned the conversation to antifa, a left-wing anti-facist ideology, whose adherents he has blamed for violence at protests in recent months.”

The Proud Boys began planning for the riot after Trump tweeted that his protest in DC would “be wild” with one saying they needed to “get radical and get real men.”

The Washington Post: “What’s immediately apparent is that the Oath Keepers were preparing specifically for the day of the riot before the Proud Boys were; in fact, the Proud Boys only seemed to turn their attention to that day after President Donald Trump tweeted his encouragement for people to be in Washington on that day for a protest that he promised would ‘be wild.’”

The Washington Post: “A Proud Boys member encourages Tarrio to ‘get radical and get real men’ after the Trump tweet […] Tarrio and other Proud Boys form a new chapter of the organization called the Ministry of Self Defense (MOSD). The focus, Tarrio says, is ‘national rally planning.’”