Republicans are not going to like this, but newly revealed details show that the man charged with planting two pipe bombs near the Republican and Democratic national committee headquarters on Jan. 6, 2021, was reportedly a devoted Trump supporter who grew enraged over Donald Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election had been stolen. Federal investigators say those lies were central to his alleged motivation.
According to NBC News, the suspect — 30-year-old Brian Cole Jr. — is now cooperating with the FBI. Law enforcement officials told the outlet that Cole described being angered and disillusioned after Trump lost the presidential race, and that he believed the baseless conspiracy theory that the election had been “rigged.” Investigators say Cole placed the explosive devices outside both party headquarters in Washington, D.C., on the evening of Jan. 5, just hours before pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol the following day.
CNN’s Pamela Brown reported that Cole admitted to investigators after his arrest that he believed the election was stolen, marking the first public indication of a potential motive. “Sources tell CNN the 30-year-old suspect in this case, Brian Cole, Jr., told investigators after his arrest that he believed the 2020 election was stolen, providing the first indication of a possible motive,” Brown said on air.
Cole has been charged with transporting an explosive device and attempted malicious destruction by means of explosive materials, according to federal charging documents.. While the FBI has not formally stated a motive, the remarks attributed to Cole directly echo the election lies Trump pushed for months after losing to Joe Biden.
Trump’s insistence that the 2020 election was stolen has been widely debunked, but he continues to repeat the claim. Former Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn the election found that his repeated falsehoods “inspired his supporters to commit acts of physical violence” — a description that appears to align closely with what investigators say motivated Cole.
Trump still maintains he won the election.
