Trump accepts reality amid calls for ouster
Facing charges of instigating violence, a chastened Prez assures ‘ orderly transition’
Washington, Jan. 8: With 13 days left in his term, US President Donald Trump finally bent to reality Thursday amid growing talk of trying to force him out early, acknowledging he’ll peacefully leave after Congress affirmed his defeat.
Mr Trump led off a video from the White House by condemning the violence carried out in his name a day earlier at the Capitol. Then, for the first time on camera, he admitted his presidency would soon end — though he declined to mention Presidentelect Joe Biden by name or explicitly state he had lost.
“A new administration will be inaugurated on Jan. 20,” Mr Trump said in the video. “My focus now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power. This moment calls for healing and reconciliation.”
The address, which appeared designed to stave off talk of a forced early eviction, came at the end of a day when the cornered President stayed out of sight in the White House. Silenced on some of his favourite Internet lines of communication, he watched the resignations of several top aides, including two Cabinet secretaries.
And as officials sifted through the aftermath of the pro- Trump mob’s siege of the US Capitol, there was growing discussion of impeaching him a second time or invoking the 25th Amendment to oust him from the Oval Office.
The invasion of the
A new administration will be inaugurated on Jan. 20. My focus now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power. This moment calls for healing and reconciliation. — Donald Trump,
US President
Capitol building, a powerful symbol of the nation’s democracy, rattled Republicans and Democrats alike. They struggled with how best to contain the impulses of a President deemed too dangerous to control his own social media accounts but who remains commander in chief of the world’s greatest military.
“I’m not worried about the next election, I’m worried about getting through the next 14 days,” said Republican Sen.
Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, one of Trump’s staunchest allies. He condemned the President’s role in Wednesday’s riots and said, “If something else happens, all options would be on the table.”
Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi declared that “the President of the United States incited an armed insurrection against America.” She called him “a very dangerous person who should not continue in office”.
Washington, Jan. 8: Three days before supporters of President Donald Trump rioted at the Capitol, the Pentagon asked the US Capitol Police if it needed National Guard manpower.
And as the mob descended on the building Wednesday, Justice Department leaders reached out to offer up FBI agents. The police turned them down both times, according to senior defence officials and two people familiar with the matter.
Despite plenty of warnings of a possible insurrection and ample resources and time to prepare, the Capitol Police planned only for a free speech demonstration. Still stinging from the uproar over the violent response by law enforcement to protests last June near the White House, officials also were intent on avoiding any appearance that the federal government was deploying active duty or National Guard troops against Americans. The result is the US Capitol was overrun Wednesday and officers in a law enforcement agency with a large operating budget and experience in high- security events protecting lawmakers were overwhelmed for the world to see.
Four protesters died, including one shot inside the building. A Capitol Police officer died Thursday after being injured in the Wednesday melee. The rioting and loss of control has raised serious questions over security at the Capitol for future events. The actions of the day also raise troubling concerns about the treatment of mainly white Trump supporters, who were allowed to roam through the building for hours, while Black and brown protesters who demonstrated last year over police brutality faced more robust and aggressive policing.
“This was a failure of imagination, a failure of leadership,” said Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo, whose department responded to several large protests last year following the death of George Floyd. “The Capitol Police must do better and I don't see how we can get around that.”
Acevedo said he has attended events on the Capitol grounds to honour slain police officers that had higher fences and a stronger security presence than what he saw on video Wednesday. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said that as the rioting was underway, it became clear that the Capitol Police were overrun. But he said there was no contingency planning done in advance for what forces could do in case of a problem at the Capitol because Defence Department help was turned down.
“They've got to ask us, the request has to come to us,” said McCarthy. US Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund, under pressure from Schumer, Pelosi and other congressional leaders, was forced to resign.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell asked for and received the resignation of the Sergeant at Arms of the Senate, Michael Stenger, effective immediately. Paul Irving, the longtime Sergeant at Arms of the House, also resigned.
LIKE ALL Americans, I am outraged by the violence, lawlessness and mayhem. I immediately deployed the national guard and federal law enforcement to secure the building and expel the intruders.
DONALD TRUMP, US Prez
THE STORMING of the US Congress by Donald Trump’s supporters is a disgrace that has “shocked humankind”.
RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, Turkish President
THE MOB attack by his supporters on the US Capitol was the “ugly ending” to Trump’s time at the White House.
SILVIO BERLUSCONI,
Former Italian premier
WE CALL on the president of the United States, to disavow false and dangerous narratives, and encourage their supporters to do so as well.
MICHELLE BACHELET, UN rights chief
THEY WEREN’T protesters. They were a riotous mob, insurrectionists, domestic terrorists. The past four years we have had a Prez who has made his contempt for our democracy, our Constitution, the rule of law, clear in everything he has done.
JOE BIDEN, President- elect