Five years after the Jan. 6 Capitol breach, congressional Democrats returned to a familiar setting Tuesday: the Capitol steps, the cameras, and a carefully staged display of solemnity. This time, it was a candlelight vigil—complete with speeches, a moment of silence, and a closing rendition of “God Bless America.”
And Vice President JD Vance was down for some fun.
Vance set off a social media firestorm after reposting a meme showing Democratic leaders holding candles at the vigil—only with sombreros digitally added to their heads. The vice president shared the image from his verified X account without comment, letting the visual speak for itself.
The image originated from the popular conservative X account “End Wokeness,” which posted a video clip from the vigil with the caption: “BREAKING: Congressional Dems just held a candlelit vigil to honor the 5th January 6th anniversary.”
The vigil featured prominent Democratic figures, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, who framed the event as a solemn remembrance of the Jan. 6, 2021 breach of the U.S. Capitol and as a tribute to law enforcement.
Schumer told attendees, “We are here today because we must never forget what happened on Jan. 6 five years ago,” adding that future generations should remember it. “The day democracy was placed at greater risk than it has been in a century, and more than a century.”
He also recounted his personal experience during the evacuation, saying he and others were “within 20 feet of those rioters of those insurrectionists” as they were rushed to safety.
“On Jan. 6, our Capitol Police officers were heroes. Our DC police were heroes,” Schumer said. “…We will make sure that your sacrifices that day are never forgotten, nor will we ever, ever forget the lives of those we lost in the connection with the attack.”
Jeffries followed with even sharper rhetoric, calling Jan. 6 a “violent insurrection incited by Donald Trump to overturn the results of a free and fair election” and praising law enforcement who defended the Capitol.
“We owe these heroes an eternal debt of gratitude and will never forget their service and their sacrifice,” Jeffries said.
He later asked the crowd to observe a moment of silence “to remember those whose lives were lost as a result of the tragic and horrific events of Janu. 6, 2021.”
Afterward, attendees sang “God Bless America,” with Schumer’s voice notably carrying above the group.
https://t.co/s7uIjj5t7L pic.twitter.com/YnZ7UExSYQ
— JD Vance (@JDVance) January 7, 2026
Supporters of the repost argued the criticism was aimed not at the victims of Jan. 6, but at Democratic leadership’s reliance on symbolism over substance.
“These people and their theater antics are so embarrassing,” one user wrote. “I’d laugh more often at them were it not for the very real authoritarian danger they pose which hides in plain sight.”
Another commenter added, “I wish they put the same effort into their states and cities.”
The episode tapped into a longer-running conservative critique. Democratic leaders have repeatedly drawn backlash over what opponents call performative gestures during moments of national tension. In 2020, several lawmakers—including then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi—kneeled in the Capitol wearing Ghanaian Kente cloth stoles following the death of George Floyd, a moment praised by allies and derided by critics as empty symbolism.
The sombrero imagery itself is nothing new. Variations of the meme targeting Jeffries have circulated online since last year’s federal government shutdown, resurfacing periodically in conservative political satire aimed at Democratic leadership.
