Resignations pile up at White House in outrage over Trump mob storming Capitol
Several senior White House officials have submitted resignations protesting President Donald Trump’s encouragement of a violent mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, disrupting the formal certification of the 2020 presidential election.
More resignations may be coming, including leadership at the National Security Council, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The president’s former press secretary, Stephanie Grisham, resigned from the White House effective immediately, alongside deputy press secretary Sarah Matthews and White House social secretary Rickie Niceta, multiple officials confirmed to McClatchy.
Former aides to President Donald Trump earlier in the day had directly pointed the finger at him as a mob descended on the U.S. Capitol, urging him to tell his supporters to quit their “lawlessness” and “go home.”
“Condemn this now, @realDonaldTrump - you are the only one they will listen to. For our country!” former White House communications director Alyssa Farah said in a tweet.
Trump at a rally near the White House encouraged backers of his bid to overturn the election to take their complaints directly to lawmakers.
After his supporters had been clashing with police at the Capitol for more than an hour, and a congressional session to count the Electoral College results of the 2020 presidential election went on hiatus, Trump tweeted that the rioters should remain peaceful.
“Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement. They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful!” he said
But they did not stop, and White House officials had to pressure the president to send in the National Guard to help secure the legislature after the Capitol Building was breached.
Former White House officials said that Trump needed to act with more force.
“He can stop this now and needs to do exactly that. Tell these folks to go home,” former White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney tweeted.
Trump, at the rally speaking behind bulletproof glass, told his supporters that he would join them in the effort, but he did not and returned to the White House after his remarks.
“We’re going to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue,” Trump said at the event. “And we’re going to the Capitol. And we’re going to try and give -- the Democrats are hopeless they’re never voting for anything, not even one vote -- but we’re going to try and give Republicans -- the weak ones, because the strong ones don’t need any of our help -- we’re just going to try and give them the kind of pride and boldness that they need to take back our country.”
Concluding his remarks, Trump added, “So let’s walk down Pennsylvania Avenue.” The U.S. Capitol building and the White House are on opposite ends of Pennsylvania Avenue.
Trump sent a second tweet requesting that his backers respect law enforcement. But he did not tell them to clear out of the Capitol so the proceedings, which will formalize Joe Biden’s presidential election win, could continue without further delay.
“I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence! Remember, WE are the Party of Law & Order – respect the Law and our great men and women in Blue. Thank you!” Trump said.
At the same time as Trump sent his update, his former national security advisor, John Bolton, said that Trump needed to concede the election to Biden immediately.
“Today’s violence and lawlessness has to stop, immediately. To begin repairing the damage, Donald Trump should acknowledge what he knows to be true: he lost the 2020 election, and Joseph Biden is the President-elect,” Bolton wrote.
In a televised address Wednesday afternoon, Biden also demanded that Trump act to stop the siege, telling the outgoing president that he should call for calm in a national address.
Minutes later, Trump released a pre-recorded video on his Twitter account that said he knows “their pain” and “hurt” over the outcome of the election, which he falsely insisted was “stolen” from him.
“But you have to go home now. We have to have peace. We have to have law and order. We have to respect our great people in law and order. We don’t want anybody hurt,” Trump said. “I know how you feel. But go home. And go home in peace.”
White House correspondent Michael Wilner contributed reporting.
This story was originally published January 6, 2021 at 3:22 PM with the headline "Resignations pile up at White House in outrage over Trump mob storming Capitol."
