After inciting a violent insurrection that has now taken five lives President Donald Trump finally conceded Thursday night, two months after the election. In a two and a half-minute video recorded from the White House Trump also finally condemned the violence he, his personal attorney, and eldest son incited, while taking no responsibility, offering no apologies, and without admitting that the thugs and anarchists who perpetrated an attempted coup at the nation’s Capitol were his own supporters.
Calling the violence by the armed insurrectionists a “heinous attack on the United States Capitol,” Trump said he was “outraged,” like “all Americans,” despite the fact that the tens of thousands who participated in defiling the seat of the United States’ government, destroying property, accessing government computer networks, and causing personal injury to many, are Americans – those who revere him. Just one day earlier Trump had called those same people “very special,” and told them, “we love you.”
He also lied, falsely claiming, “I immediately deployed the National Guard and federal law enforcement to secure the building and expel the intruders.” Numerous reports prove he fought hard against deploying the National Guard and federal law enforcement, and some suggest it was Vice President Mike Pence who ultimately made the call to do so.
The New York Times has reported that Trump enjoyed watching the destruction and desecration.
Speaking directly to his supporters who carried out the very insurrection he called for, Trump said: “You do not represent our country. And to those who broke the law, you will pay.”
“We have just been through an intense election and emotions are high, but now tempers must be cooled and calm restored,” he continued, again taking no blame for having ratcheted up his people so far they traveled across the country to, as one woman on video said, start a “revolution.”
“My campaign vigorously pursued every legal avenue to contest the election results, my only goal was to ensure the integrity of the vote,” he added, again, another lie, provably false given the $250 million or more he has raked in from his supporters after the election was called for Joe Biden.
“In so doing, I was fighting to defend American democracy,” he falsely stated. “I continue to strongly believe that we must reform our election laws to verify the identity and eligibility of all voters and to ensure faith and confidence in all future elections. Now, Congress has certified the results, and new administration will be inaugurated on January 20. My focus now turns to ensuring a smooth orderly and seamless transition of power. This moment calls for healing and reconciliation.”
It took a violent, deadly insurrection and condemnation from top leaders of his own party, along with numerous resignations including from his own Cabinet, and the threat of the 25th Amendment and impeachment – again – to do what every President before him would have done two months ago.
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