Republican businessman Ken Langone on Wednesday blasted Capitol Hill riots last week, indicating on CNBC that he felt “betrayed” by President Donald Trump’s actions that led to the deadly events.
“I think the biggest mistake anyone is going to make is trying to rationalize what happened last week, what the president did and what the crowd did,” Langone said in “Squawk Box.” “There can be no mitigation at all. It was awful. That was wrong. I’m shocked. ‘
Trump’s supporters overtook the US Capitol exactly one week ago in an effort to stop Congress from completing the election of President Joe Biden in the Electoral College. Trump’s offensive rhetoric and repeated lies about widespread fraud in the November election helped arouse his supporters and during a speech in Washington, the president encouraged supporters who gathered in the city to march to the Capitol.
“I feel betrayed,” said Langone, who has strongly supported Trump’s economic policies over the years, while also occasionally criticizing the president, such as for his response to the deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017.
“Last Wednesday was a disgrace,” added Langone, the billionaire co-founder of Home Depot, who has donated to Republicans over the years. “It should never have happened in this country. If it does not break every American’s heart, there is something wrong. It breaks my heart. I did not sign up for it.”
Langone, who chairs the board of the NYU Langone Medical Center, urged Americans to pull together behind Biden and drop bias. “If there is a time in history where all Americans should be a patriot, it is the time,” he said.
“I’m going to do everything from day one to make sure I do my part to make Joe Biden the most successful president in the history of this country,” Langone said. “There’s a selfish reason for that. We have very serious problems in America to deal with,” such as the coronavirus pandemic and public education.
Langone’s comments come as the House of Representatives prepares to vote to accuse Trump again, this second time for his role in inciting the Capitol riot. The Democratic-led effort garnered the support of several GOP members, including Rep. Liz Liz Cheney of Wyoming. She is the Republican in the House in third place.
“I do not care” whether Trump is charged, Langone said. “All I care about is one thing: Joe Biden will be sworn in as president on January 20.”
Asked specifically about Republican lawmakers who voted to finalize Biden’s victory, even after the deadly riot, Langone said: ‘I honestly do not know what the hell … What was this play? “
“There’s going to be a lot of time, and I’m sure a lot of energy is going to be spent doing what they have to do, whether it’s up to Trump, whether it’s up to the senators or whatever it is,” Langone added . “At the end of the day, thank God, we are a democracy and the voters will have the last word.”