Thirst trap Jordan Klepper has covered numerous Trump rallies as a correspondent for The Daily Show, so naturally, he was on hand for the failed coup at the Capitol building. “Last week we saw one of the darkest days in American history. And for better or worse, I was there,” he said in the video above. It was a day that began with a DJ rallying the MAGA troops with “My Heart Will Go On” and ended with five people dead.
“The one thing you couldn’t help but notice was just how many people looked like they were preparing for battle,” Klepper noted. “From the tactical vests to the pitchforks, this rally felt charged.” He asked attendees whether they would accept Joe Biden as president on January 20, the meanings behind their flags, and why they were wearing camouflage in an urban setting. “Are you looking to make an aggressive action right now?” Klepper asked the camo dude as they marched to the Capitol. “No, I’m looking to make a statement,” the guy responded shortly before calling Kleeper an offensive slur.
Over footage of the violence that would soon ensue, Klepper said, “The rioters brought real weapons and committed real atrocities. They attacked our democracy, our police, and even our cameraman.” He concluded, “If the Trump presidency was going to come to an end, this seems fitting, a show of aggression, ending with a bunch of people screaming at a building without a working understanding of how democracy works. America, 2021.”