Minutes after President Trump was impeached for the second time, the White House Twitter account posted a video message in which the president called last week's Capitol riot "troubling" and "a calamity."
Trump did not mention in his five-minute message that it was his supporters who stormed the Capitol, with many breaching the building after Trump encouraged them to pressure lawmakers into overturning the results of the election.
"I want to be very clear: I unequivocally condemn the violence that we saw last week," Trump said. "Violence and vandalism have absolutely no place in our country and no place in our movement." He added that "no true supporter of mine could ever disrespect law enforcement or our great American flag."
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There are more demonstrations planned in the days leading up to President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration, and Trump said he is "asking everyone who has ever believed in our agenda to be thinking of ways to ease tensions, calm tempers, and help to promote peace in our country." Every American has the First Amendment right to "have their voice heard in a respectful and peaceful way," Trump continued, but "there must be no violence, no law-breaking, and no vandalism of any kind." Catherine Garcia
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