Brian Cole Jr. Case Divides Trump DOJ and MAGA Allies

The federal government's only remaining active prosecution tied to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack targets Brian Cole Jr., who is accused of planting two pipe bombs near the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee headquarters the night before the riot, according to NBC News. Cole has pleaded not guilty, and his trial is scheduled for February.

What is Brian Cole Jr. accused of doing?

Prosecutors say Cole planted the unexploded devices outside both party headquarters in Washington on the eve of the attack. He was arrested nearly five years after the bombs were found, NBC News reported. The FBI has said Cole confessed after his arrest, telling agents he believed the 2020 election had been stolen — a claim NBC News said was fueled by false accusations from President Donald Trump and his supporters.

Why do conservatives say he was framed?

A group of prominent right-wing figures argues the case itself is illegitimate, contending the bombs were placed by "deep state" actors to distract from the law enforcement response and make the riot appear more violent, according to NBC News. Right-wing activists have shown up in court to support Cole, and former Jan. 6 defendants have backed him online. Then-Fox News host Dan Bongino said on a 2024 podcast that he had "zero doubt" the bombs were an inside job, NBC News reported, a comment made before he became the FBI's deputy director and, in that role, pushed the previously stalled investigation forward.

What does the Justice Department say happened?

DOJ is pressing ahead with the prosecution despite the pressure campaign from some Trump allies. Then-Attorney General Pam Bondi credited Bongino with helping crack the case when Cole's arrest was announced, NBC News reported. Cole's legal team has said it will seek to have his confession thrown out, citing his autism diagnosis, or argue he was coerced, according to the outlet.

Why wasn't Cole covered by Trump's Jan. 6 pardons?

Trump pardoned Jan. 6 defendants on his first day back in office, and the Justice Department subsequently closed ongoing investigations into rioters who assaulted police and caused what NBC News reported was an estimated $2.7 billion in damage. Cole's case survived that pardon because the bombs were placed the night before the Capitol attack — meaning, prosecutors say, the underlying conduct falls outside the scope of Trump's clemency for Jan. 6 rioters, per NBC News.

What is the timeline of the case?

• Jan. 5, 2021: Pipe bombs are placed near RNC and DNC headquarters, according to authorities.
• Jan. 6, 2021: Rioters storm the U.S. Capitol; the bombs remain a live but unexplained thread in the investigation for years.
• January 2025: Trump pardons Jan. 6 defendants; DOJ closes most related investigations.
• 2024–2025: Bongino publicly floats an "inside job" theory, then becomes FBI deputy director and revives the pipe bomb probe.
• Arrest: Cole is taken into custody nearly five years after the devices were discovered, NBC News reported.
• December 2025: Cole appears in court.
• February 2026: Trial is set to begin.

The case is likely to test how far the Trump Justice Department will go to finish a Jan. 6-linked prosecution even as some of the president's most vocal supporters demand it be dropped.