United States: "scandalized" by violence on Capitol Hill, Trump calls for "reconciliation"
US President Donald Trump during his remarks on January 7, 2021, in Washington.
VIA REUTERS - Donald J. Trump via Twitter
Text by: RFI Follow
4 min
In a video posted on Twitter Thursday, January 7, Donald Trump returned to the events on Wednesday on Capitol Hill, which several of his supporters invaded.
The US president denounced the troublemakers and called for a “smooth” transition on January 20 with President-elect Joe Biden.
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Donald Trump's first reaction "in person" after the
events of January 6
was expected.
His last speech, which dated back to Wednesday when the Capitol was stormed by some of his supporters, had resulted in him being banned from posting on Twitter for 24 hours, and from posting on
Facebook and Instagram
(properties of Mark Zuckerberg) for at least two weeks.
The two platforms had justified this decision to sanction the American president who preferred to “
support rather than condemn the acts of his supporters on Capitol Hill
”.
Finally, after a first statement sent by his spokesperson, Donald Trump spoke himself Thursday on Twitter, his favorite social network, once his 24-hour ban is over.
And the American head of state was much more severe with regard to the incidents that occurred on Capitol Hill.
pic.twitter.com/csX07ZVWGe
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2021
"To those who broke the law, you will pay"
In this 2 minutes and 41 seconds long video, Donald Trump clearly denounces the invasion of the premises and the incidents that erupted Wednesday in and around the Capitol.
He says he is "
scandalized by the violence, anarchy and mayhem
" perpetrated by his supporters.
In the clashes, four people died, including
a woman shot dead
inside the Capitol.
“
To those who have committed acts of violence or destruction, you do not represent our country.
And to those who broke the law, you will pay,
”warns the President of the United States.
Unlike his previous outings, Donald Trump does not claim, in this video, that the presidential election of November 3 was stolen from him.
Its publication is, moreover, not accompanied by a message from Twitter warning that the remarks made go against the results which have been confirmed by all American legal and political authorities.
Trump wants "an orderly and smooth transition of power"
The defeated candidate wants to be more unifying in his speech.
“
Congress certified the results (of the presidential election).
A new administration will be sworn in on January 20,
”he explains.
"
I will now focus on an orderly and smooth transition of power
," continues Donald Trump, according to whom
"
The hour is for appeasement and reconciliation
".
A few hours earlier, Joe Biden had described this January 6 as "
one of the darkest days in our history
" and the troublemakers of "
terrorists from within
".
The elected president had also castigated the behavior of Donald Trump, guilty in his eyes of having "
unleashed a merciless assault against the
American democratic
institutions
".
Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, had declared that removing Donald Trump from his post as president was an "
emergency of the utmost importance
".
Donald Trump's much calmer speech marks a change in the frontal opposition between Republicans and Democrats, which climaxed to a climax on Wednesday.
The still-sitting president is making a move in de-escalation with this announcement of a smooth transition for January 20, as scheduled.
► To read also: United States: behind the riots on the Capitol, the power of the militias
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United States
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