Military veterans call for condemnation of political violence

In 2021, military veterans from the Common Defense Fund and Courage for America mobilized to demand accountability for political violence following the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. The perpetrators—both the attackers themselves and Republican leadership that failed to condemn the violence—engaged in widespread misinformation, reframing the attack as either justified or misunderstood. They also sought to devalue the victims by implying they deserved it and dismissed official inquiries as politically motivated persecution.

The veterans leveraged their credibility as those who had defended democracy abroad and faced authoritarian threats, positioning themselves as uniquely qualified to challenge these narratives. They launched a public campaign, including a letter and meetings with legislators, to highlight the dangers of political violence and the need for explicit condemnation. Their efforts, however, did not significantly alter GOP members' positions or shift the broader discourse on political violence in the U.S.