We know Fox News was ignorant of a plan to besiege the Capitol. Multiple hosts were horrified by how it all looked.

We can add Donald Trump Jr. to that list:

As the Capitol riot was unfolding, some of the biggest names in the conservative movement were working their connections in the White House to get former President Donald Trump to do something—anything—to stop it.

“He’s got to condemn this shit ASAP,” Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son, texted Trump’s chief of staff Mark Meadows.  Meadows responded: “I’m pushing it hard. I agree.” 

So did Don Jr. know anything about the attack beforehand? We can’t know for sure, but it is possible he was not part of the operation. If I remember right, Don Jr. engaged in some very incendiary rhetoric at the rally, but I guess he got all chickenshit when everything went sideways.

Meadows et al. were nervous too. The question still remains: was the riot part of the plan? It’s very tempting to say yes, but there’s still room to suggest that it was a spontaneous response triggered by Trumpian incitement, or a plan hatched by right wing anti government extremists to sack the Capitol. The suits brought against the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, and other dangerous fringe groups today are indications of who DC wants to hold responsible. Make no mistake, the Trumps got in bed with some bedrock crazies, and these groups could be on a list of them. There may be other overlap I am not aware of that puts the rioters and riot planners in the same room with the Trumps. I know that’s what I’m waiting for.