Washington: Trump, who initially praised his supporters, later condemned the violence, saying the rioters had defiled the seat of American democracy and must be held accountable.
In a video posted to Twitter on Thursday night, Trump said he was “outraged” by the violence in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday as his supporters stormed the Capitol building. He recognized Congress’ decision to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory.
Trump’s message came as Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called earlier Thursday for him to be immediately removed from office as pressure mounted on Republicans to support invoking the 25th Amendment.
Schumer, describing the violent siege of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday as an “insurrection against the United States,” said in a statement that the president “should not hold office one day longer.”
A US Capitol Police officer has died of injuries sustained during clashes with supporters of President Donald Trump, who stormed the Capitol building to prevent Congress from certifying President-elect Joe Biden, police said late on Thursday.
Officer Brian D Sicknick had sustained injuries while on-duty, physically engaging with rioters at the US Capitol, the statement said.
“He returned to his division office and collapsed. He was taken to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries” on Thursday night, it said.
The death of Sicknick will be investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch, the Capitol Police and federal investigators.
