- President Donald Trump condemned the deadly siege on the US Capitol by his supporters as a “heinous attack” and said those who broke the law “will pay.”
- He also acknowledged a “new administration” will assume the presidency on January 20 and said he will work to ensure an “orderly” transition of power.
- Trump shared the video statement to Twitter Thursday, after being locked out of his account overnight for violating the platform’s policies.
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President Donald Trump condemned the deadly siege on the US Capitol by his supporters as a “heinous attack” and said he will work to ensure an “orderly” transition of power.
“Like all Americans, I am outraged by the violence, lawlessness, and mayhem,” Trump said in a video posted to Twitter one day after a violent mob breached the federal building, forcing lawmakers to evacuate.
The president shared the video after being locked out of his Twitter account for half a day after the platform said some of his tweets violated their policies.
One of the tweets was a video that Trump shared addressing the rioters, in which he said “go home, we love you, you are very special,” and repeated unsubstantiated claims about the 2020 election. He did not condemn the violent actions of his supporters.
In the video shared Thursday, Trump said the “demonstrators who infiltrated the capitol have defiled the seat of American democracy.”
“To those who engaged in the acts of violence and destruction, you do not represent our country,” he said. “And to those who broke the law, you will pay.”
—Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2021
The president notably did not repeat the unsubstantiated claims of election fraud that he has spread since losing the election to President-elect Joe Biden, however he said, “I continue to strongly believe we must reform our election laws.”
He also explicitly acknowledged a “new administration” will assume office, and said he will work toward a smooth transition of power.
“A new administration will be inaugurated on January 20. My focus now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power.”
While Trump was locked out of his account overnight, White House social media director Dan Scavino shared a statement from Trump after Congress finished the process of certifying Biden’s victory.
In that statement, the president also pledged an “orderly transition of power” but said he disagreed with the outcome of the election.
In the latest video, Trump called for “healing and reconciliation.”
“We must revitalize the sacred bonds of love and loyalty that bind us together as one national family,” he said.
He also addressed his supporters directly to acknowledge their disappointment, and said, “Our incredible journey is only just beginning.”
