Trump has embraced Jan. 6. The extremist message may alienate — or resonate

For the Trump campaign, Jan. 6, 2021 is not a moment of national shame but of celebration.

His campaign rallies include patriotic songs recorded by the J6 Prison Choir, a singing group of defendants accused of participating in the violent Capitol riot. He extolls Jan. 6 as a "beautiful day." And he lionizes those who have been jailed on charges connected with that day as "hostages" and "patriots." Since former President Donald Trump launched his 2024 presidential campaign one year ago, he has leaned hard into Jan. 6, using it as a rallying cry for his base.

To political scientists, that's been puzzling.

"It seems to me that he's got a base that is going to be there almost no matter what," said Michael Hanmer, professor of government and politics and the director of the Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement at the University of Maryland. "But as a strategy to win over new voters or even Republicans who might be uncomfortable with either Trump's temperament or some of his policies, to me, doesn't seem like a strategy that's going to convince people who are reluctant to vote for him."

Hanmer said surveys conducted by the Washington Post and University of Maryland show that attitudes toward Jan. 6 have softened among Republican-leaning voters. But some continue to view what happened at the Capitol as a problem. Five people, including a police officer, died that day; more than 1,330 people have been charged for their role in those events.

"I think the more Trump talks about Jan. 6 in a way that embraces it, he's putting at risk having Republicans stay home," Hanmer said.

While Trump's embrace of that day may not square with conventional political strategy, some worry that it may resonate in troubling ways with those