• •Don Berthiaume, Trump's nominee for DOJ inspector general, referred to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot as 'protests and such' during a Senate confirmation hearing.
• •The nominee's characterization was made in response to direct questions from senators regarding the events of January 6, 2021.
• •It remains unclear how Berthiaume's stance on this issue will affect his bipartisan support or the timeline of his confirmation by the Senate.

Donald Trump's nominee for Department of Justice inspector general, Don Berthiaume, declined to describe the January 6 Capitol riot as an attack during his confirmation hearing. The Guardian reported that Berthiaume instead characterized the events as "protests and such" when pressed by senators on the matter. This choice of language stands in contrast to the federal judiciary's classification of the riot. His refusal to adopt specific terminology could complicate his path through the Senate, as members weigh his suitability for a role requiring impartial oversight of the justice system.