U.S. diplomats urge Pompeo to denounce Trump for the Capitol riot

APD NEWS

text

Dozens of U.S. diplomats have drafted a memo that urged the State Department to "explicitly denounce President [Donald] Trump's role" in the recent Capitol riot, and specifically they've called out Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for doing so.

"Just as we routinely denounce foreign leaders who use violence and intimidation to interfere in peaceful democratic processes and override the will of their voters, the department's public statements about this episode should also mention President Trump by name," the draft obtained by NBC News read.

"No one – not even the president – is above the law or immune from public criticism."

Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump climb on walls at the U.S. Capitol during a protest, in Washington, U.S., January 6, 2021. /Reuters

While a handful of White House staff and administration officials have resigned over Trump's role in inciting the violent demonstration, Pompeo still came to the president's defense on Saturday. He has criticized Twitter's decision to permanently ban Trump's account.

Federal agents arrested two more Capitol Hill rioters whose images had gone viral, of one carrying off the House speaker's lectern and another who wore horns and a fur pelt, while a top Democratic lawmaker called on mobile carriers to preserve social media content related to the carnage.Dozens of people have been charged following the storming of the Capitol on Wednesday, with the FBI asking the public to help identify participants, given the proliferation of images of the riots on the internet. Five people have died, including a police officer.

On Saturday, Richard Barnett, the man pictured sitting at U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's desk, was charged with three federal counts including theft of public property.

Jacob Anthony Chansley stands with other supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump as they demonstrate on the second floor of the Capitol, in Washington, U.S., January 6, 2021. /Reuters

Jacob Anthony Chansley, who featured prominently on social media wearing horns, a fur pelt, face paint and brandishing a spear adorned with the U.S. flag, turned himself in to police, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said.

"Chansley said that he came as part of a group effort with other 'patriots' from Arizona, at the request of the president that all 'patriots' come to D.C. on January 6, 2021," the DOJ said in a release.

Federal agents also arrested Adam Christian Johnson, whose photo as he smiled and waved as he carried off House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's lectern had also gone viral. Johnson, of Parrish, Florida, also streamed live video on Facebook of himself as he walked the halls of the Capitol, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

(CGTN)