WITH just a week to go to the inauguration of Joe Biden as the next US president, Donald Trump was still stealing all the headlines yesterday, even as he faced a vote in Congress to force his removal from office.
Trump refused to take any responsibility for the violence which erupted at the Capitol last week after he gave a speech to his supporters, encouraging them to march on America’s seat of government. Thousands did so and many broke into the Capitol to try and disrupt Congress from certifying Biden’s election victory.
Shortly before leaving on his final engagement to visit the small portion of the wall built on the Mexican border, Trump told reporters: “If you read my speech, and many people have done it, and it’s been analysed, people thought that what I said was totally appropriate.”
Five people died as a result of the violence, including Brian Sicknick of the Capitol Police. It was confirmed yesterday that another police officer, Howard Liebengood, 51, who was on duty during the riot, committed suicide at the weekend. Two further officers have been suspended for allegedly fraternising with the rioters.
The vote of using the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office for being unable to perform his role was due long after The National went to press.
The Democrat-controlled House of Representatives will almost certainly pass it, with support from a few Republicans.
But Trump will survive because the Cabinet, led by vice-president Mike Pence, will not act on the vote.
The president, however, is likely to be impeached today by the House of Representatives for alleged incitement to insurrection.
Trump said yesterday: “We want no violence. On the impeachment, it’s really a continuation of the greatest witch hunt in the history of politics.
“I think it’s causing tremendous danger to our country, and it’s causing tremendous anger. I want no violence.”
His remarks came after it emerged that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had warned of potential trouble at the Capitol days before the riot. They have now warned of a possibility of Biden’s inauguration being disrupted and violent protests at the state capitol buildings of all 50 states.
Former FBI director James Comey said yesterday: “It’s important that every last person who entered that Capitol be found and charged.”
He added: “I still think it would be better for this country if we move past a fallen and corrupt president and turned off the television lights on him, which in some ways would be the greatest punishment he could imagine.”
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