Opinion Today: This former Capitol Police sergeant still lives with Jan. 6 today

And he thinks Donald Trump's pardons are an outrageous mistake.

View in browser|nytimes.com January 6, 2025 By Adam Sternbergh Culture Editor, Opinion "History is written by the victors," according to the oft-cited quote, and when Donald Trump won the presidency, he received a chance to rewrite the history of Jan. 6. Long before its fourth anniversary, Jan. 6 joined the ranks of infamous moments in U.S. history identified solely by their dates. To invoke Jan. 6 is to recall a day without precedent — one on which a mob of rioters battled the police and illegally entered the U.S. Capitol building in an effort to halt the peaceful transition of power. Yet it's clear from statements by President-elect Trump that he views that day very differently. He's characterized the events at the Capitol as a "day of love," and he's promised to pardon rioters who've been criminally convicted, including ones who attacked police officers. One such officer is Aquilino Gonell, who was a sergeant with the Capitol Police at the time and argues in a guest essay published this weekend that these pardons would not only be ill advised but also catastrophically unjust — an "outrageous mistake." Most of us watched these events at a distance, but he experienced them firsthand. In many ways, he's still living with them. One day, there will be no witnesses to Jan. 6, 2021, left to share their stories. For now, voices like that of Gonell are a bulwark against the efforts to erase or permanently distort history — which is why it's crucial to hear their testimony as often as possible. Read the full essay here. Illustration by Cristiana Couceiro. Photographs by Getty Images Guest Essay For Many of Us, Jan. 6 Never Ended Donald Trump is promising to pardon Jan. 6 rioters. But we can't let him rewrite history. By Aquilino Gonell Here's what we're focusing on today: Editors' Picks Guest Essay Who Owns Jan. 6? 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