Capitol Invasion: World leaders condemn Trump

 

German Chancellor Merkel angry over Capitol invasion, blames Trump

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday she was “furious and saddened” by the storming of the US Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump and said the president shared blame for the unrest.

“I deeply regret that President Trump has not conceded his defeat, since November and again yesterday,” she said.

“Doubts about the election outcome were stoked and created the atmosphere that made the events of last night possible,” she said, adding that her shock was undoubtedly shared by the “millions of people who admire America’s democratic tradition”.

She welcomed a statement by President-elect Joe Biden as well as “many reactions from both major parties of the US” which she said reassured her “that this democracy will prove to be much stronger than the attackers and rioters”.

She lamented the “tragic” loss of life in the chaotic scenes but said the fact that lawmakers had returned to work overnight was a “sign of hope”.

“Now it is clear with the confirmation of the election victory of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, the United States of America will, as it should, in less than two weeks open a new chapter of its democracy,” she said.

“That means the forces of democracy have prevailed — that is something I always knew about the United States and expected.”

But she warned that the “disturbing” images from the Capitol would be seen “in other places around the world (as) not exactly a badge of good democratic processes”.

“It is thus all the more important that the democrats prevailed,” she said.

After a mob breached the US Capitol and sent lawmakers scrambling for safety Wednesday, shaken members of Congress returned to certify Biden’s 306-232 Electoral College win.

A woman died after being shot during the unrest, Washington police said.

 

U.S. Capitol riot disgraceful, says UK’s Boris Johnson

On Wednesday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson joined other leaders in condemning the scenes of violence in the United States (U.S.)

“Disgraceful scenes in U.S. Congress.

“The United States stands for democracy around the world, and it is now vital that there should be a peaceful and orderly transfer of power,” he wrote on Twitter.

Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, called the events “utterly horrifying.”

Masses of angry pro-Trump protesters clashed with police and stormed the U.S. Capitol, where lawmakers were due to certify president-elect Joe Biden’s win in the November election.

Goodluck Jonathan lectures Trump: No ambition is worth the blood of any citizen

Former Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan, has told the United States incumbent President, Donald Trump, that his ambition is not worth the blood of any American citizen.

This is coming a day after pro-Trump supporters disrupted the ratification of Joe Biden’s victory.

Jonathan said it is not too late to reject the venom and allow the wish of the people to be done for the sake of peace.

On Wednesday, hundreds of Republicans stormed the US Capitol just as lawmakers were certifying the outcome of the recent presidential election in which Biden defeated Trump.

Emboldened by Trump’s insistence that the election was fraudulent, the protesters disrupted the proceedings in a violence that claimed four lives and injured many others.

Writing via his Facebook page, Jonathan, who conceded to President Muhammadu Buhari even before Buhari was declared winner of the 2015 presidential election, condemned gaining power at the expense of peace.

“I have repeatedly said nobody’s political ambition is worth the blood of any citizen, in any part of the world. Absolutely nobody.

“Again, I reiterate that it is better to lose power at the cost of gaining peace, than to gain power at the price of losing the peace. As a leader, one must not just look unto one’s own interest, but the interest and the good of society. It is never too late to reject the venom and inject the serum of peace.

“It is necessary to state that the highest purpose of leadership is to bring people together, even those that do not share in your philosophy. And you do not need an office to do that.”

He said amid the turmoil in the US, all that is needed to achieve the height of leadership is conscience, adding: “Let us be men of conscience at this hour.”

 

Capitol Riot: Trump’s Deputy National Security Adviser resigns; other officials consider quitting

President Donald Trump’s deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger resigned Wednesday afternoon in response to Trump’s reaction to a mob of his supporters breaching the US Capitol, a person close to Pottinger confirms to CNN.

Pottinger told people there was very little for him to consider, the person said. Bloomberg was first to report that Pottinger had resigned.

Several of Trump’s top national security aides — including national security adviser Robert O’Brien — are considering resigning in the wake of his response to a day of chaos and violence, according to multiple sources familiar with their thinking.

 

Deputy chief of staff Chris Liddell is also considering resigning, according to the sources.

Earlier Wednesday, O’Brien took the unusual step of defending Vice President Mike Pence, as Trump has been consumed by the vice president’s refusal to do his bidding instead of the mob that breached Capitol Hill. O’Brien said Pence showed courage as Trump lambasted him.

“I just spoke with Vice President Pence. He is a genuinely fine and decent man. He exhibited courage today as he did at the Capitol on 9/11 as a Congressman. I am proud to serve with him,” O’Brien said