Supporters of Pro-Trump storm the US Capitol after a rally with President Donald Trump on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC.
Samuel Corum | Getty Images
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and other U.S. business leaders called for an end to the violence at the U.S. Capitol and called on President Donald Trump and others to take action.
The head of the largest US bank by assets strongly condemned the riots in Washington, where thousands of supporters of the president on Wednesday charged the Capitol.
“This is not who we are as a nation or a country,” Dimon said in a statement. “We are better than that. Our elected leaders have the responsibility to end the violence, accept the results and, as our democracy has been for hundreds of years, support the peaceful transition of power.”
While Dimon did not specifically mention the president in the statement, remarks from the Business Roundtable, a group of executives to which he belongs and led, specifically called on Trump to intervene.
“The chaos unfolding in the country’s capital is the result of illegal attempts to overthrow the legitimate results of a democratic election,” the organization said. “The country deserves better.” A Business Roundtable calls on the President and all relevant officials to end the chaos and facilitate the peaceful transition of power. ‘
Other leaders in finance and technology talked about this. Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon said Americans “need to start reinvesting” in democracy and rebuilding American institutions.
“Our democracy has for years built a reserve of benevolence around the world that holds important benefits for our citizens,” Solomon said in a statement. “Recently, we have squandered benevolence at a rapid pace, and the attack on today’s American Capitol is causing further damage. It is time for all Americans to come together and continue a peaceful transition of power.”
Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google’s parent company Alphabet, said in a statement that ‘lawlessness and violence’ at the Capitol is the ‘opposite of democracy’.
Wells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf said the “behavior in Washington, DC today is unacceptable and completely undermines who we are as a nation.” He called for an immediate end to this violence. ‘
The CEO of Bank of America, Brian Moynihan, made the following statement: ‘The dire events of today in the capital of our country emphasize the urgent need for all Americans to stand together behind one of our most cherished principles: the peaceful transfer of power that has taken place without interruption since the founding of our country. “
Citigroup CEO Michael Corbat also weighed in, saying he was “disgusted” by the riot but expressed hope for a peaceful resolution.
“While these scenes are very difficult to watch, I trust in our democratic process and I know that the important work of Congress will continue and that people will be held accountable for their actions,” he said in a statement. “I pray that this situation can be resolved without further bloodshed.”
Larry Fink, the CEO of BlackRock, the largest money manager in the world, calls the attack on the Capitol an “attack on our country, our democracy and the will of the American people.”
“The peaceful transfer of power is the foundation of our democracy. We are who we are as a nation because of our democratic institutions and process,” Fink added.
Trump finally made a statement in which he asked for order. However, this was accompanied by more unfounded demands from the president over an election that he said was stolen from him. Trump’s supporters have filed about 60 lawsuits claiming fraud and losing all but one.
Earlier in the day, members of Congress discussed the challenges posed against individual states as the electoral certification process moves forward.
“You must go home now. We must have peace,” Trump tweeted. “We have to respect our great people in law and order. We do not want anyone to be hurt.”