Trump Says He ‘Loves’ Protesters Who Stormed Capitol, Urges Them to Leave Peacefully
President Trump on Wednesday urged his supporters who have stormed the U.S. Capitol building to “go home in peace.”
“I know you’re hurt,” Trump said in a pre-taped video posted to Twitter. “We had an election that was stolen from us. It was a landslide election. Everyone knows it, especially the other side, but you have to go home now.”
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2021
He added: “We have to have peace. We have to have law and order. We have to respect our great people in law and order. We don’t want anybody hurt.”
A chaotic scene unfolded Wednesday afternoon as protestors stormed the U.S. Capitol building, clashing with law enforcement and forcing the evacuation of the House and the Senate as Congress met to tally the Electoral College votes to affirm President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.
Earlier on Wednesday, President Trump held a “Save America” rally outside the White House and falsely told supporters that the election had been rigged and that he had won in a landslide. He also encouraged his supporters to march down to the Capitol.
The National Guard for Washington and Virginia was activated to respond to the unrest, according to the New York Times, and the mayor placed the city under a curfew beginning at 6 p.m.
