Donald Trump defends himself over US Capitol riot, pins blame on Nancy Pelosi: ‘Had nothing to do with that except…’
Kamala Harris vs Donald Trump's Tuesday night debate turned to deadly riot on Capitol Hill, with the former President pinning the blame on Nancy Pelosi.
Kamala Harris vs Donald Trump's Tuesday night debate turned to deadly riot on Capitol Hill, with the former President pinning the blame on then US Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
In a White House speech prior to the attack, Trump urged his followers to march to the Capitol. He later sent out a tweet urging the protestors to disperse.
Trump claims that he spoke “peacefully and patriotically, during my speech, and not later on,” and that he made no calls for violence.
When the moderators asked him if he had any regrets on what he did on that day, Trump reiterated, “I had nothing to do with that except that they asked me to make a speech.”
He then went on to blast Democrat Nancy Pelosi for not stepping up Capitol security, citing the video that was filmed by her daughter on January 6, in which the ex-speaker admitted responsibility for the National Guard.
“I take responsibility for not having them just prepare for more,” Pelosi had stated.
“It wasn't organized by me; it was done by others. I offered 10,000 National Guard or soldiers, but they rejected me. Nancy Pelosi rejected me,” Trump stated.
“Just two weeks ago, her daughter released a tape where Nancy said she is fully responsible for what happened. It would have never happened if Nancy Pelosi and the mayor of Washington did their jobs.”
He concluded his remarks, claiming that “I wasn't responsible for security—Nancy Pelosi was.”
The former President added, it was Pelosi who “didn’t do her job.”
Harris reminds Trump has been indicted and impeached
The moderators then sought Harris' response, she noted that she was present in Congress that day as a US Senator and vice-president elect.
“On that day the President of the United States incited a violent mob to attack our nation's Capitol, to desecrate our nation’s Capitol,” Harris said.
“The former president has been indicted and impeached for exactly that reason,” she mentioned.
She also brought up the 2017 Charlottesville, Virginia, far-right demonstration, where white nationalists marched and chanted racist and antisemitic slogans. It occurred early duringTrump's presidency, and he was slammed for his response.