US President Donald Trump called for the public to “overcome the passions of the moment and come together as one American people” in a video message released shortly after lawmakers voted to impeach him for a second time for inciting last week’s deadly Capitol siege.
“I unequivocally condemn the violence that we saw last week,” he said in a video message.
“Violence and vandalism have absolutely no place in our country and no place in our movement,” he said. “Mob violence goes against everything I believe in and everything our movement stands for.”
“Now I am asking everyone who has ever believed in our agenda to be thinking of ways to ease tensions, calm tempers and help to promote peace in our country,” Trump said.
Trump said there must be “no violence, no law-breaking and no vandalism of any kind” by anyone attending protests in the coming days in order for the transition to President-elect Joe Biden to proceed safely.
Biden will be inaugurated on January 20. Trump did not mention the impeachment vote.