- President Donald Trump has expressed regret over a video he shared Thursday, in which he condemned the riots by the US Capitol and promised a smooth transfer of power, according to a report by the New York Times.
- Trump shared the video one day after a violent crowd of his supporters broke into the federal building, resulting in lawmakers evacuating and killing five people.
- House Democrats have threatened Trump with indictment unless he resigns, but the president refuses to do so, according to The Times.
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President Donald Trump deplores the video he shared on Thursday, in which he condemned the riots at the US Capitol and promised a smooth transition of power, according to a report by The New York Times.
In the video, posted one day after a violent crowd of his supporters stormed the federal building, the president said those involved “polluted the seat of American democracy” and “will pay.”
He also acknowledged that a “new administration” would be inaugurated on January 20, something he often refused to do.
“My focus now is to ensure a smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power,” he said in the video.
The next day, however, Trump said he would not attend inaugural President Biden.
Since the riots in the Capitol that caused Congress to evacuate and kill five people, the fall has been rapid for Trump.
Administration officials, including two cabinet members, resigned. Lawmakers, also from his own party, called on him to resign. House Democrats and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have threatened to sue him.
According to The Times, however, the president refuses to resign.
In the video that Trump now apparently regrets, he did not repeat the unfounded allegations of widespread voter fraud that he has been spreading since he lost the election.
He also called for ‘healing and reconciliation’.
“We need to rekindle the sacred bonds of love and loyalty that bind us together as one national family,” he said.
Trump shared the video after being locked out of his Twitter account for about half a day after the platform said some of his tweets were inciting their policies against violence.
One of the tweets was a video of Trump addressing the rioters, in which he said, “go home, we love you, you are very special,” and reiterated unfounded allegations about the 2020 election. does not condemn the violent actions of his supporters.
On Friday, one day after regaining access to his account, Trump was permanently suspended from Twitter “due to the risk of further incitement to violence,” the firm said.