President Donald Trump on Wednesday told his supporters to “stay peaceful,” after those pledging loyalty to him stormed the U.S. Capitol, prompting evacuations as a number of Republican lawmakers began an anti-democratic charade aimed at giving the President a second term he did not earn.
The comments, which fell quite short of telling demonstrators to leave Capitol grounds, come hours after Trump encouraged his supporters to flood the Capitol as Congress meets for a join session to count each state’s Electoral College votes in what has traditionally been a routine ceremony intended to reaffirm President-elect Joe Biden’s win of the presidency.
Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement. They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2021
The tweet followed a direct attack by the President against his own Vice President Mike Pence, who was reportedly rushed from presiding over the session after refusing Trump’s call to block congressional certification of President-elect Biden’s electoral win.
White House adviser Ivanka Trump shared the post and went so far as to call the group of the President’s supporters “American Patriots” in a since-deleted tweet suggesting that “any security breach or disrespect to our law enforcement is unacceptable.”
“The violence must stop immediately. Please be peaceful,” she wrote.
Don Jr., the President’s eldest son, also tweeted amid the violent breach at the Capitol, calling it “wrong” after slinging mud at Democrats when he suggested that his father’s supporters should exercise their rights to freedom of speech without “acting like the other side.”
This is wrong and not who we are. Be peaceful and use your 1st Amendment rights, but don’t start acting like the other side. We have a country to save and this doesn’t help anyone. https://t.co/3oUAPxuwi9
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 6, 2021
Eric Trump, the third of Trump’s eldest children, later weighed in on the chaos proclaiming that the President’s supporters were “the party of Law & Order.” He vaguely added without formally condemning the violent breach of the U.S. Capitol that anyone who “crosses that line” should be prosecuted.
Less than an hour after his first tweet, the President fired off a second tweet that harkened back to his calls last summer for law and order and simultaneously painted a false image of peaceful protest at his behest. “I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful,” he wrote. “No violence!”
I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence! Remember, WE are the Party of Law & Order – respect the Law and our great men and women in Blue. Thank you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2021
Pence broke away from Trump, delivering an urgent call for the violence to end, repeating twice over in a tweet that the violence and destruction “Must Stop,” and it “Must Stop Now.”
The violence and destruction taking place at the US Capitol Must Stop and it Must Stop Now. Anyone involved must respect Law Enforcement officers and immediately leave the building.
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) January 6, 2021
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), who was one of the chief conspirators in the GOP effort to torch democracy, said in a belated tweet that “violence is always unacceptable.” He offered blessings to Capitol police and those tasked with de-escalating the siege that imperiled the safety of those within the Capitol’s perimeter.
Violence is always unacceptable. Even when passions run high.
Anyone engaged in violence—especially against law enforcement—should be fully prosecuted.
God bless the Capitol Police and the honorable men & women of law enforcement who show great courage keeping all of us safe.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) January 6, 2021
