Fact Check: "We must fight like hell to protect democracy."
What We Know
On January 6, 2021, then-President Donald Trump delivered a speech to his supporters at a rally near the White House. During this speech, he stated, "We fight like hell. And if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore" (NPR). This phrase has been widely cited in discussions about Trump's role in the events that unfolded later that day, when a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Trump's speech included a long list of grievances against the election results and the media, asserting that the election had been "stolen" from him (AP News). He encouraged his supporters to march to the Capitol to "peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard," but the context of his remarks has been interpreted by many as inciting the crowd to take more aggressive action (NPR, AP News).
Analysis
The claim that Trump urged his supporters to "fight like hell" is substantiated by multiple sources, including the full transcript of his speech (NPR, AP News). Critics of Trump have pointed to this phrase as evidence that he incited violence, while his defenders argue that he also called for peaceful protest, suggesting that his words should not be interpreted as a call to violence.
The context of the speech is crucial. Trump's repeated emphasis on fighting against what he described as a stolen election creates a narrative that many interpreted as a rallying cry for confrontation. For instance, he stated, "Our country has had enough. We will not take it anymore" (AP News). This language, combined with the charged atmosphere of the rally, led to a significant escalation as attendees marched to the Capitol, where violence ensued.
The reliability of the sources discussing Trump's speech is generally high, as they include reputable news organizations and official transcripts. However, interpretations of the speech can vary significantly depending on the political leanings of the commentators. For example, while some sources focus on the peaceful aspects of Trump's message, others emphasize the incendiary language he used throughout his address (NPR, AP News, New York Times).
Conclusion
The statement "We must fight like hell to protect democracy" is a paraphrase of Trump's actual words during his January 6 speech. Given the context and the subsequent actions of the crowd, the claim is True. Trump's rhetoric, particularly the phrase "fight like hell," was a significant part of his speech and has been interpreted as inciting his supporters to take aggressive action in defense of what he claimed was a threatened democracy.
