President Donald Trump, in a video released after the House voted to impeach him for a second time, disavowed violence by supporters. Photo: KSL NewsRadio via YouTube
WASHINGTON — In a video posted to the White House YouTube account, President Donald Trump condemned violence at the Capitol a week ago, just about an hour after the House voted to impeach him for a second time.
The president disavowed violence and said no “true supporter” of his would never condone what happened.
“I want to speak to you tonight about the troubling events of the past week,” he began. “As I have said, the incursion of the U.S. Capitol struck at the very heart of our republic. It angered and appalled millions of Americans across the political spectrum. I want to be very clear: I unequivocally condemn the violence that we saw last week.”
In the video, which runs just over 5 minutes, Mr. Trump speaks directly to the camera from what appears to be his desk inside the Oval Office. He noted that what he called “our movement,” referring to his oft-cited “Make America Great Again,” hinges on protecting the rule of law, respect for law enforcement and upholding the nation’s values.
“Violence and vandalism have absolutely no place in our country,” President Trump said. “Mob violence goes against everything I believe in, and everything our movement stands for. No true supporter of mine could ever endorse political violence.”
The president said federal agencies will “use all necessary resources to maintain order in Washington” during the next week. A week from today, Jan. 13, 2021, former Vice President Joe Biden is set to be inaugurated as president.
Mr. Trump did not refer to today’s impeachment debate on Capitol Hill.