TRUMP'S COUP TIMELINE

* This thread will use military time and EST time zone for any times provided.

November 7, 2020 - The press calls the 2020 presidential election for now President-elect Joe Biden, 4 days after the election.

November 9, 2020

After meeting with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and in violation of standing Department of Justice policy not to interfere in elections, US Attorney General Bill Barr authorizes federal prosecutors to investigate claims of electoral fraud.

Richard Pilger, the head of the DoJ’s Election Crimes Branch, resigns in response to Barr’s memo.

Trump fires Secretary of Defense Mark Esper. In response, Esper says, “Who’s going to come in behind me? It’s going to be a real ‘yes man.’ And then God help us.”

Trump immediately names Christopher Miller Acting Secretary of Defense.

Trump follows Esper’s firing with firing the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence, and the Chief of Staff to the Secretary of Defense, constituting a “near total decapitation of civilian leadership” at the Pentagon.

November 10, 2020

Kash Patel is named the new Chief of Staff to the Secretary of Defense. Patel previously held several positions in the Trump administration. He was also a top aide to Rep. Devin Nunes when Nunes chaired the HPSCI during the Mueller investigation.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says in a press conference that “There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration” and references the Electoral College.

November 12 - Multiple agencies, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and associations of election officials issue a joint statement stating the election was secure, no votes were changed or lost, and voting systems were not compromised.

November 18 - Trump fires the head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Christopher Krebs, for contradicting Trump on the security and legitimacy of the election.

November 24 - Patel is announced to be leading the Pentagon transition.

December 1, 2020 - Barr announces the DoJ found no evidence of widespread election fraud. Trump pushes back.

December 5, 2020

There are reports Patel is blocking Pentagon officials from cooperating with Biden transition.

The DoD pushes back on these claims and blames the Biden transition team. The meetings that needed to be scheduled with Defense Intelligence are quickly scheduled.

December 14, 2020 - A massive cyber attack on the federal government by Russia is announced.

December 15, 2020 - After rumors that Trump had been threatening to fire Barr, Barr tenders his resignation, effective December 23.

December 17, 2020 - The Department of Defense informs the Biden transition team that meetings scheduled for the next day will be rescheduled for the New Year.

December 18, 2020 - Acting Sec. Miller announces that the DoD and Biden transition teams will take a “mutually-agreed upon holiday pause.” The Biden team immediately pushes back on that and says they agreed to no such pause.

"We were concerned to learn this week about an abrupt halt," a Biden transition official states and shares the delay is limited to political appointees.

December 19, 2020 - Trump tweets the response to the cyber attack is “under control” and claims without evidence or corroboration the attack might have been committed by China.

December 22, 2020 - Biden tells press, “[The DoD] won't even brief us on many things. So I know of nothing that suggests [the cyber attack is] under control.”

December 23, 2020 - The DoD responds that Biden’s statement is “patently false.” Pentagon officials tell press, "The department will continue to provide the information and meetings necessary to ensure the continuity of government...

"... As we've said, meetings will begin again in early January, and in fact we've begun scheduling them."

December 28, 2020 - Biden transition again reports obstruction from the DoD. Biden states, “Right now we just aren’t getting all the information that we need from the outgoing administration in key national security areas. It is nothing short, in my view, of irresponsibility.”

December 2020-early January 2021 - Trump supporters planning to attend January 6 protest in DC discuss how to bring in weapons and discuss violence on social media. There are at least 1,480 tweets encouraging violence at the protests on QAnon-related Twitter accounts alone.

January 1, 2021 - One of Trump’s election attorneys, Lin Wood, calls for Vice President Mike Pence to be executed on Twitter.

January 1-6, 2021 - Democratic members of Congress attempt to get more information from law enforcement about potential threats due to the upcoming protest and planned countermeasures, but no one in law enforcement seems to be interested in gathering intelligence or preparing.

January 2, 2021 - Trump calls Georgia Attorney General Brad Raffensperger and pressures him to change the results of the Georgia election. Raffensperger refuses to comply.

January 3, 2021 - In response to a tweet from Trump lying about the Georgia elections results, Raffensper sends a recording of the January 2 call to the press.

January 4-6, 2021 - DC Mayor Muriel Bowser requests assistance from the National Guard ahead of the protests. According to the DoD, Bowser only requests assistance for crowd and traffic control in DC. (This makes sense, as she has no authority over the Capitol, only over DC.)

In response, the DoD sends memos placing limits on the DC Guard ahead of protests. These restrictions prohibit Guard from:

1) receiving ammunition or riot gear
2) interacting with protesters except for self defense
3) sharing equipment with local law enforcement, and

4) using National Guard surveillance or air assets without sign-off from Acting Sec. Miller.

January 6, 2021

Trump supporters gather at the Ellipse and the Capitol grounds as the Stop the Steal protest kicks off.
At some point during the day, a gallows with a noose is constructed on Capitol Grounds.

Around 1100 - Rudy Giuliani tells the pro-Trump crowd, “Let’s have trial by combat!”

1158 - Trump begins speech to address his supporters outside the White House. He says: “We will never give up. We will never concede, it doesn’t happen. You don’t concede when there’s theft involved.”

1214 - Trump tells supporters, “We’re going to have to fight much harder, and Mike Pence is going to have to come through for us. If he doesn’t, that will be a sad day for our country because you’re sworn to uphold our constitution...

"... Now it is up to Congress to confront this egregious assault on our democracy. After this, we’re going to walk down and I’ll be there with you.”

1300 - Joint session of Congress begins to tally electoral votes. Pence and the entire US Congress are in the Capitol building.

1311 - Trump’s speech to his supporters concludes, after he tells them, “We’re going walk down to the Capitol, and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women...

".... We’re probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them because you’ll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength, and you have to be strong.”

Trump supporters begin to march to the Capitol.

1400: According to the DoD, DC Guard units that had already been mobilized to direct traffic and control crowds in DC were moved to the Capitol perimeter.

1407 - Trump’s supporters breach the steps on the east side of the Capitol.

1416 - Trump’s insurrectionists breach the Capitol.

Around this time, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan receives a call from Rep. Steny Hoyer requesting back-up from the National Guard. Hogan immediately mobilizes the National Guard but is denied permission by the DoD.

Bowser also calls for help from the National Guard. According to her, she is told by someone from the Secretary of the Army’s office that her request is denied due to “concern” over “what it would look like to have armed military personnel on the grounds of the Capitol.”

The DoD claims they immediately authorized Guard units in response to her request.

Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund tells the Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy he needs back-up. Sec. McCarthy “said that wasn’t going to be possible.” An official speaking on behalf of Sec. McCarthy tells Sund they don’t like the “optics” of the Guard inside the Capitol.

1424 - Trump tweets "Pence didn't have the courage to do what should have been done."

1438 - Trump tweets his first request for his supporters to “Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement. They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful.”

1442 - The House and Senate go into lockdown.

1455 - The DoD denies DC officials’ request to deploy the National Guard.

1457 - New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announces he will be deploying the NJ National Guard. No indication whether this request was immediately approved or how long it took the NJ Guard to be deployed.

1508 - House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy confirms shots had been fired in the Capitol live on Fox News and says he’d directly asked the president for help.

1511 - Media share photos of the Senate being breached. More pictures will come out later showing men armed, armored, and carrying handfuls of zip tie handcuffs roaming the Senate.

1513 - Trump tweets again asking for people to “remain peaceful. No violence!”

1536 - The White House press secretary says the National Guard is on its way. It’s been an hour and 29 minutes since insurrectionists breached the Capitol steps. It’s been an hour and 20 minutes since the Capitol itself was breached.

It’s been 54 minutes since the House and Senate went into lockdown. It’s been 28 minutes since House Minority Leader McCarthy told Fox News he’d directly asked the president for assistance.

Hogan confirms that it took an hour and a half to get Sec. McCarthy on the phone to authorize deploying the National Guard.

1548 - Pipe bombs are reportedly discovered near the Capitol outside the RNC and DNC committee offices.

1554 - Virginia Governor Ralph Northam tweets that he is sending the Virginia National Guard and 200 Virginia State Troopers to back up Capitol police.

1601 - Trump tweets, “These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long.”

Twitter shuts down Trump's account for 12 hours. Facebook and YouTube also temporarily suspend his accounts.

1915 - Senate and House chambers are cleared by police and FBI.

1602 - The Virginia National Guard confirms that it will send in units to DC.

Ultimately, 3 hours lapsed between when local authorities requested assistance and when Guard units arrived at the Capitol.

2000 - Congress returns to the Capitol to finish counting the electoral votes. Acting Sec. Miller authorizes Guard units from Maryland, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania.

After the attacks on the Capitol, the DC City Council issues a statement condemning Bowser’s request for the National Guard to be deployed being denied by the Department of Defense.

At the end of the day, only around 100 of those who breached the Capitol are arrested.

January 7, 2021

0311 - 5 hours and 11 minutes after the session to count the electoral votes begins again, it finally ends.

The delay is due to Republicans using the platform to again repeat lies about the election being stolen and to urge unconstitutional and illegal delay of counting the electoral votes.

In 2016, this process took 45 minutes and happened without debate.

0349 - Trump issues a statement through his social media manager that says: “Even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless there will be an orderly transition on January 20th. I have always said we would continue our...

"...fight to ensure that only legal votes were counted. While this represents the end of the greatest first term in presidential history, it’s only the beginning of our fight to Make America Great Again!"

Sec. McCarthy claims in a press conference that the military responded as quickly as it could after receiving requests from local authorities. This statement has been rebutted by numerous officials.

Politico reports that a Metro police officer says in a public Facebook post that off-duty police officers participated in the attack on the Capitol.

Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf asks Trump to condemn the violence on the Capitol. Trump responds by rescinding his nomination for Wolf to be DHS Secretary 3 hours later.

Sund tenders his resignation. After only 3 years, he will receive a full pension as well as be allowed to use 12 weeks of accumulated paid leave.

Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick dies from injuries sustained in the attack. He was allegedly beaten with a fire extinguisher.

Questions begin to arise about the failures in planning, preparedness, and execution that enabled the Capitol to be breached.

Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao resigns effective January 11.

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos resigns effective January 8.

At 1910, Trump sends out a video of a speech where he condemns the violence at the Capitol. He acknowledges a new administration will begin on January 20, but does not concede or acknowledge or congratulate Biden.

Trump closes with, "And to all of my wonderful supporters, I know you are disappointed, but I also want you to know that our incredible journey is only just beginning."

All citations can be found here: https://twitter.com/RomancingNope/status/1347642346771513344

UPDATE: As I was posting my citations, I remembered an important event I forgot to include. On January 5, the day before the attack, all 10 former secretaries of defense signed a letter not to involve the military in his grievances over the election. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/defense-secretaries-letter-warning-trump-signed-days/story?id=75036788

I also left out video of Capitol Police aiding or taking selfies with the insurrectionists. It was just too much to wade through. I hope someone will put together a thread of all the incidents that indicate some of the Capitol Police may have been involved.