Trump Attacks Pence, Moments After he Was Evacuated as Violent Protestors Storm the Capitol

 

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

President Donald Trump attacked Mike Pence in a tweet on Wednesday, moments after the vice president was evacuated from the Capitol as supporters of the president breached the building.

Pence, overseeing the counting of the Electoral College to certify Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election, was escorted out of the Senate chamber as violent protestors fought with police and eventually broke into the building.

“Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify,” Trump wrote in a tweet amid the chaos. “USA demands the truth!”

Trump repeatedly pressured Pence at a rally earlier Wednesday to reject the certification of the 2020 election. Pence announced in a statement that he would not seek to reject electors for Joe Biden.

“It is my considered judgment that my oath to support and defend the Constitution constrains me from claiming unilateral authority to determine which electoral votes should be counted and which should not,” Pence wrote.

In a subsequent tweet, Trump appeared to address the violence being carried out by his supporters.

“Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement. They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful!” he wrote.

Tags:

Aidan McLaughlin is the Editor in Chief of Mediaite. Send tips via email: aidan@mediaite.com. Ask for Signal. Follow him on Twitter: @aidnmclaughlin