‘I Lived the Worst Day of My Life on National TV’: Former Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn Reflects on January 6

January 6, 2026

Five years after the January 6 Capitol attack, former U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn reflects on how that traumatic day fundamentally changed his life and the nation's trajectory. While Dunn states he has personally healed from the trauma, he emphasizes this doesn't mean forgetting what happened or accepting current political developments, particularly President Trump's pardons of Capitol rioters. The officer, who has since written a bestselling memoir and campaigned for Vice President Harris, continues to receive death threats but remains committed to speaking out about accountability and defending democratic institutions.

Who is affected

Former U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn
Capitol Police officers who died during or after January 6
Officers who took their own lives following the attack
Officer Daniel Hodges (mentioned as standing with Dunn)
Former Vice President Kamala Harris (whose campaign Dunn supported)
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.)
Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY)
Former President Joe Biden
President Donald Trump
Those convicted and pardoned for the January 6 attack
The American public and future generations

What action is being taken

Dunn is speaking across the country about resilience
Dunn continues to receive hateful messages and death threats and is taking precautions
Dunn is leaning on his community and continuing to show up publicly
Dunn is working to change what he can and using his voice where it matters

Why it matters

This matters because it represents ongoing concerns about democratic accountability and institutional integrity in America. Dunn's testimony provides a firsthand perspective on the lasting impacts of January 6, challenging attempts to minimize or rewrite the events of that day. His concern that history may be distorted when accountability is denied speaks to broader questions about how nations reckon with political violence and whether similar events could recur. The fact that individuals involved in the attack have been pardoned while officers continue to suffer demonstrates unresolved tensions about justice and the rule of law that have implications for future political stability.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer