As the Republican interpretation of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot shifted from condemnation to a more defensive stance, Kash Patel has been instrumental in redefining the party’s narrative.

Initially, President Donald Trump denounced the events of the riot, but by 2023, he referred to those involved as “hostages.”

As this narrative evolved, Patel, whose confirmation hearing for FBI leadership starts Thursday, was closely aligned with Trump, disseminating the revamped message throughout MAGA media and into broader public discourse.

In March, Patel asserted that Democrats were aware of the 2021 attack in advance. He has also previously claimed that undercover FBI agents incited rioters to storm the Capitol and that the FBI had been plotting the incident for an extended period—a claim rejected by a recent report from the Justice Department’s Inspector General.

Patel has provided financial assistance to individuals accused of rioting through his foundation and has been involved in promoting a patriotic song featuring imprisoned Jan. 6 defendants that was played at Trump rallies.

The Trump transition team didn’t respond to inquiries about Patel’s previous comments or his financial backing for alleged rioters.

“Kash is eager for his upcoming hearing to showcase his extensive background and convey the truth to the American people in a meaningful manner,” said Patel’s spokesperson, Erica Knight, addressing a series of questions.

Shifting the narrative

Over the last two years, conservatives have made a deliberate effort to confuse the narrative surrounding the Jan. 6 defendants, according to Robert Pape, a political violence researcher at the University of Chicago.

While the Justice Department has been actively prosecuting over 1,600 individuals, including around 600 for felony charges related to attacking or obstructing law enforcement, special counsel Jack Smith has been building a case against Trump, alleging he incited the mass uprising.

In the meantime, pundits from far-right media have increasingly described the defendants as innocent victims caught in a two-tiered justice system.

Patel, who served as the chief of staff to acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller on Jan. 6, has been a prominent voice in questioning the prosecution of those involved, according to Pape.

“Kash Patel is a leading voice asserting that those charged for their attack on the Capitol were unjustly prosecuted,” Pape noted. “His leadership at the FBI is likely to further push this narrative.”

Pape expressed that Patel at the helm of the FBI could legitimize political violence and shape public perception into viewing the insurrection—which triggered what former U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland termed “one of the largest and most resource-intensive investigations in history”—as a minor threat to national security.

Patel’s public statements reflect a mindset that diverges from established facts and veers into fictional territory, according to constitutional law expert Robert McWhirter, who has criticized Patel’s comments as “propaganda.”

This narrative began to emerge shortly after Trump departed from Washington. During an episode of his online show, Kash’s Corner, on Sept. 30, 2022, Patel called on the FBI to clarify when it embedded confidential human sources within militia groups and whether these informants incited violent behavior. He was an early proponent of the “fed-surrection” theory, which alleges that undercover FBI agents instigated the Capitol riot to undermine the MAGA movement. “When did the FBI deploy those individuals, and did they entice nonviolent individuals into committing crimes?” he questioned.

He insisted that internal FBI documents would reveal the agency’s involvement in inciting violence within these groups. “What was the FBI doing preparing for January 6th for a year?” he queried.

Mainstream acceptance

As time progressed since the insurrection, the GOP’s perspective also began to shift.

By 2022, Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., likened the events to a “normal tourist visit,” suggesting that the siege was just typical sightseeing behavior during a congressional hearing. Others characterized the rioters as respectful tourists.

Patel initially focused attention on Ray Epps, a Trump supporter who became the subject of conspiracy theories suggesting he was an undercover government agent attempting to incite fellow protestors.

“Congress should release all available information the FBI has on Ray Epps and why he was allowed to incite a riot on Jan. 6 as a government employee,” Patel said in a February 2023 interview with Joe Pags. “You’re going to discover he’s on the FBI payroll and he won’t be the only one.”

No corroborating evidence has been presented showing Epps was a government agent or employee. Epps, along with his attorney, the prosecutor, and the presiding judge in his case, all confirmed in open court during Epps’ guilty plea in September 2023 that the conspiracy theory lacked merit.

In a podcast with Tim Pool on March 7, 2023, Patel declared he could prove “beyond a reasonable doubt” that Epps was an FBI employee because Epps was initially featured on the FBI’s Most Wanted list following the attack but was later removed.

“There are only two reasons that happens: you either die, or you’re an informant,” he stated.

Patel further suggested that the presence of informants indicated that the FBI had foreknowledge of the impending riot. “That’s a minimum six-month buildup, right? They didn’t just drop them into the Proud Boys,” Patel said.

The Justice Department Inspector General’s report on Jan. 6, published in mid-December, confirmed that while some informants were present, the FBI had not authorized any of them to enter the Capitol.

On the campaign trail

When conservative commentator Tucker Carlson aired a selectively edited version of Capitol Police security footage in March 2023, the portrayal that the insurrection was peaceful gained traction, according to Pape, the political violence researcher. Carlson’s video downplayed hours of violent exchanges and instead focused on calmer instances.

Following the video’s release, Trump began labeling those indicted in the riots as “political prisoners” and patriots. During his first campaign rally in March 2023, and at many subsequent rallies, Trump presented a new song produced by Patel.

The song features Trump reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, accompanied by a recording of approximately 20 imprisoned Jan. 6 defendants singing “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The performance concludes with the defendants chanting “U-S-A!”

Patel, serving as a significant campaign surrogate for Trump, has consistently reframed the events of Jan. 6 during media appearances.

During a March 11, 2024 interview, Patel confirmed when asked by Glenn Beck if he believed Democrats had prior knowledge of the Jan. 6 events. “Yes, I think they not only knew but the political actors desired that narrative,” he responded.

Financial contributions

Patel’s Kash Foundation has financially supported some rioters and their families, though he has not disclosed how many or the total amount provided. The foundation’s website states it also provides grants to whistleblowers, veterans, active-duty service members, and students pursuing higher education.

Just days before the upcoming election, Patel falsely claimed on the podcast Wolfe Untamed that Nancy Pelosi requested the Defense Department to deploy M1 Abrams tanks and “belt-fed” machine guns to the Capitol amidst the Jan. 6 riot. He accused her of wanting to enhance the narrative of an insurrection for political benefit.

“They wanted downtown D.C. to appear like downtown Kandahar,” Patel claimed. “They were seeking those optics to maintain the insurrection narrative, which they believed could be the only way to undermine Donald Trump.”

MAGA enthusiasm

The possibility that Patel could reshape the narrative surrounding the insurrection has generated enthusiasm among MAGA activists regarding his nomination to head the FBI.

Conservative commentator Julie Kelly recently remarked on Steve Bannon’s War Room about attorney general nominee Pam Bondi and Patel, “If they are confirmed, they’ll face a significant challenge in exposing and holding accountable those involved in prosecuting Trump, like Jack Smith. They will confront a substantial amount of corruption and prosecutorial misconduct.”

It remains uncertain whether Patel’s conspiracy theories surrounding Jan. 6 will influence his Senate confirmation prospects. Several Democrats have signaled their intention to challenge him on these points, but the support from Trump and the far-right could prove difficult for opponents to surmount.

In a letter dated January 16 to Patel, Senate committee member Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., included questions about Patel’s conspiracy theories that he wants addressed during the hearing on Thursday. “A person who promotes and amplifies unverified and harmful conspiracy theories is simply not qualified to serve as the Bureau’s Director,” Blumenthal stated.