U.S. Capitol -- President Donald Trump asked throngs of his supporters protesting around the U.S. Capitol to “go home now."
Trump considers the rally around the U.S. Capitol by his supporters as a natural result of his triumph at the U.S. election being “stripped away.” However, officials found no proof of electoral fraud, and lawsuits challenging the results have failed in court.
Twitter locked Trump’s account Wednesday evening following his Tweets, which could not be seen on his account, stating they committed violations of the company’s policies. Twitter pointed out that it would lock Trump’s account for 12 hours once he deletes the tweets in question and would look into permanently suspending his account upon further violations.
Trump's earlier statements in a brief video on Twitter came after lawmakers on both sides asked him to speak out against the chaos led by his supporters. Trump supporters stormed the building, delaying the confirmation of election results.
Meanwhile, in the one-minute video, Trump appeared to have offered sympathy for the rioters.
“I know your pain, I know you’re hurt,” Trump said. “But you have to go home now, we have to have peace. We have to have law and order, we have to respect our great people in law and order.”
In another tweet sent later Wednesday, Trump seemed to defend the violence.
“These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long,” he wrote. “Go home with love & in peace. Remember this day forever!”
Trump's statements came after a joint session of Congress was underway to count the Electoral College ballots and confirm President-elect Joe Biden’s win.
After Congress started the proceedings, led by Vice President Mike Pence, Trump protesters went to the U.S. Capitol. The session stopped soon after; Pence and other officials quickly left the building.
“We don’t want anybody hurt,” Trump said in his video statement. NBC News said reports of injuries have already surfaced, including at least one person who was shot and killed inside the U.S. Capitol.
“It’s a very tough period of time,” he said. “But we can’t play into the hands of these people. We have to have peace,” he said.
“So go home. We love you. You’re very special. You’ve seen what happens, you see the way others are treated that are so bad and so evil. I know how you feel. But go home, and go home in peace.”
Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked Trump to stop his supporters’ violent actions.
“I call on President Trump to go on national television now, to fulfill his oath and defend the Constitution and demand an end to this siege,” Biden said.
Earlier in the day at a rally outside the White House, Trump criticized his perceived political enemies, including “weak Republicans” who refused to assist him in overturning the election.
He also pressured Pence to not accept key electoral votes during the joint session of Congress in order to give way for Trump's reelection.
In another tweet, Trump said that Pence “didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done.”
