Trump back in Washington, repeating election lies

In dueling speeches not far from the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, former President Donald Trump repeated the false election claims that sparked the Jan. 6 insurrection while his former vice president, Mike Pence, implored the Republican Party to stop looking backward.

Potential foes for the 2024 GOP nomination, neither man was ready to announce a campaign, but their speeches underscored divisions in the party between Trump loyalists and Republicans who may still like Trump’s ideas but are more than ready to move on.

The former president was clearly not ready to move on.

“It was a catastrophe that election. A disgrace to our country,” Trump said, insisting despite all evidence that he had won in 2020. And he continued to tease his plans for the future, telling his cheering crowd, “We may just have to do it again.”

Federal and state election officials from both parties and Trump’s own attorney general have said there is no credible evidence the 2020 election was tainted. The former president’s allegations of fraud were also roundly rejected by courts, including by judges appointed by Trump.