The Confederate Flag, for the first time in its existence, was displayed at the United States Capitol Wednesday.

Understand the historical significance of that.

In a four-year Civil War, one million confederate soldiers, led by arguably the most capable American-born general in the history of this nation, Robert E. Lee, failed to display that flag in Washington D.C.

More than 150 years later, though, it took just one man to do what those soldiers couldn’t, and that man is Donald J. Trump.

In a scene typically reserved for a third world country ruled by a dictator, our nation’s capital was subjected to an insurrection this week, an insurrection started by the president and gleefully executed by thousands of his supporters.

Many saw this coming, including Trump’s closest allies, even if they didn’t want to admit it. Sen. Lindsey Graham tweeted during the 2016 primary that if Trump secured the Republican nomination for president, he would destroy the GOP.

More than four years later, Sen. Graham and his colleagues got a front row seat to watch his prophecy unfold.

Earlier in the day, during the infamous rally at the National Mall before his father would incite a riot, Donald Trump Jr. sent a message loud and clear to Republicans who wouldn’t accept the unfounded and fraudulent claims this election was stolen.

“This gathering should send a message to them: This isn’t their Republican Party anymore. This is Donald Trump’s Republican Party.”

Appropriately, less than two hours later, Trump’s supporters tore down the American flag flying in front of the capitol, and replaced it with a Trump flag.

While President Trump is largely responsible (along with a few misguided legislators) for the egregious actions of this mob, Sen. Graham is again correct in advising against removing him from office.

“If Speaker Pelosi pushes impeachment in the last days of the Trump presidency, it will do more harm than good. I’m hopeful President-elect Biden sees the damage that would be done from such action,” he said.

Based on his comments in a 24-hour span, it’s apparent Trump has had an abrupt about face. Wednesday afternoon, Trump was telling the rioters he loved them and how “very special” they were while on Thursday he called them intruders, promising if they broke the law “they will pay.”

Obviously, in between the “I love you” and “you’re going to jail,” Trump had a revelation. Maybe Mike Pence, after being called a coward by Trump minutes before he and his family had to be rushed to safety by Secret Service, had a conversation with the president. Maybe his daughter Ivanka did. Maybe he was threatened by members of his Cabinet. Or maybe he just wanted to get back on Twitter and Facebook, which had frozen his accounts … but for whatever reason, Trump changed his tune 180 degrees.

That statement Thursday afternoon was one from a defeated man, a card player who had played his last card … and realized he lost.

Trump is done. Trump and his insurrection were defeated in a bi-partisan manner that we as a nation can pray is a sign of a brighter future.

It’s time to move on and let Trump have his legacy as the president who brought the Confederate flag to the Capitol.