The gut-wrenching spectacle of flag-waving mobs storming the Capitol building on January 6th represented more than the dangerous delusions of a few thousand radicals. Tens of millions of decent, patriotic Americans share the rioters’ core conviction—an outrageous lie that serves to polarize the public and to poison our national discourse.

Shortly after the violence that threatened members of Congress and interrupted the process of officially receiving the previously certified Electoral College votes, the president himself gave renewed expression to the same toxic falsehood that provoked the unrest in the first place.

After releasing a video in which he assured the protestors “I know your pain, I know your hurt” and reminded them that “we love you, you’re very special,” he posted a now-deleted tweet that justified the rampage.

“These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away,” wrote the leader of the free world.

Aside from arcane arguments about voting machines, unmatched signatures and changed rules for mail-in ballots, the seemingly unshakable belief in a stolen Trump landslide rests on three arguments… read the full column at Newsweek.com.