William Barr was the attorney general at the time. The Republicans in Congress supported the impeachment of the president. Trump was suspended by social media.
Some TV talking heads speculated that Trump might retire to a life of buffets and golf at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla. It appeared that Trump could be kicked out of national politics.
Over the course of the past year, Trump has maintained his hold on the party. It is still firm in critical ways.
A steady stream of Republican candidates and operatives travel to Palm Beach to get Trump's approval and endorsement. McCarthy and Graham have traveled to the former president's compound to meet with him and pose for a photo. Trump has done interviews with conservative media, and he went on a tour with Bill O'Reilly. His Christmas picture book sold a lot. It is assumed that Trump will become the Republican Party's nominee even if he doesn't run again for office.
There are two camps of people who should speak out. The first camp knows Trump is a dangerous man but doesn't want to cause him any trouble. The author of an anti-Trump tell-all who was the former chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security in the Trump administration, said that the second camp is more transactional. They don't want to be left behind because the GOP is still drinking on the MAGA Kool Aid.
A request for comment was not responded to by a Trump spokesman.
The people who resigned in protest have rarely talked about that day. David Shulkin, who was fired by Trump as the secretary of Veterans Affairs, said he was not surprised. He noted that many people who have spoken out against the former president have paid the price with personal attacks against them. He said he only spoke out against Trump on matters of substance.
The substantive criticisms have been quiet. Some Jan. 6 defectors have come to disagree with the idea that they ever resigned in protest, while others seem content to concede that their former boss remains the defacto ringleader of their party. Most have used silence.
Here are their stories.
A woman named Elaine Chao.
