Trump’s Battle Against Reality Reaches New Heights

Starting June 23, this newsletter will be issued on Monday mornings.

Amid numerous other controversies surrounding former President Trump, it has emerged that his administration is weighing a $5 million settlement for the family of Ashli Babbitt, an Air Force veteran fatally shot by law enforcement during the January 6, 2021, Capitol unrest.

Babbitt was part of the violent mob that forcibly entered the Capitol, endangering law enforcement officers and members of Congress. She was attempting to climb through a broken glass door near the House floor when she was shot. While her death is tragic, the officer who fired was cleared of wrongdoing after investigators concluded he acted in self-defense and to protect lawmakers.

So why is the Justice Department not only resolving the lawsuit brought by Babbitt’s relatives but also considering a substantial monetary apology? The answer lies in the alternate reality propagated by Trump and his allies—a narrative that flips facts upside down.

The truth about January 6 is that lawless rioters, inspired by Trump’s falsehoods, attempted a violent coup. However, this reality is being steadily undermined through persistent misinformation, leaving many confused or disengaged from understanding what truly occurred.

Trump rebranded that day of infamy as a “day of love,” recharacterized the rioters as “patriots,” and hailed Babbitt as a martyr. Upon returning to office, he pardoned nearly all of the approximately 1,600 individuals charged in connection with the Capitol breach and proposed compensation for them, turning accountability on its head.

To embrace falsehoods fully requires unwavering commitment. This approach is not limited to January 6 but defines Trump’s broader strategy. Earlier attempts to simply label his lies or tally his falsehoods now seem insufficient to capture the scale and boldness of his ongoing assault on truth. This multifaceted campaign to distort facts surpasses any prior presidential spin control.