News Information and Media Site: As calls for impeachment grow, Trump condemns mob he incited

Friday, January 8, 2021

Good morning, NBC News readers.

The death toll from the assault on the U.S. Capitol has risen to five as President Donald Trump finally condemned the violent mob he incited.

Here is what's happening this Friday morning.

Facing calls for his removal, Trump condemns rioters

A day after he told his supporters "we love you," President Donald Trump condemned them Thursday for violently swarming the U.S. Capitol in a statement that called for a "seamless transition of power."

In a short video posted to Twitter, Trump said that he was "outraged by the violence, lawlessness and mayhem" at the Capitol and said that those who broke the law "will pay."

While it was filled with numerous falsehoods, the statement marks a stark shift for Trump, who only Wednesday had been slow to call for the rioters to disperse and had to be persuaded to send reinforcements for Capitol Police as the building was under siege.

He also said that "the new administration will be inaugurated on January 20" and that his focus is now on "ensuring a smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power."

The president has faced growing calls for his removal from office for inciting the mob that brazenly attacked the Capitol.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined presumptive Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in calling for Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office.

Pelosi said if Pence does not act, then the House would consider impeachment to remove Trump from office.

Criticism has come from conservative corners, too. The Wall Street Journal editorial board called on Trump to resign rather than be impeached for a second time.

But so far the vast majority of the more than 200 congressional lawmakers calling for his removal are Democrats or Independents; Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Illinois, is the only Republican.

Nevertheless, with just 12 days to go before the end of his term, a wave of administration officials have resigned in protest.

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao was the first Cabinet member to resign Thursday, followed later in the day by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Both cited the pro-Trump rioters attack as their reason for leaving the administration.

"I just can't do it. I can't stay," said Mick Mulvaney, Trump's special envoy to Northern Ireland and former acting chief of staff, explaining his resignation on CNBC. "We didn't sign up for what you saw."

Follow our live blog for all the latest developments.

Video: Trump administration officials resign as condemnation grows

Capitol Police officer dies from injuries as feds scramble

A U.S. Capitol Police officer died on Thursday from injuries sustained while clashing with a pro-Trump mob at the Capitol.

Officer Brian D. Sicknick is the fifth person to die from Wednesday's violent clashes.

News of the officer's death comes shortly after Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund resigned amid criticism of the department's response to the rioters who broke through barricades, vandalized the building and clashed with police.

Federal authorities have started pressing charges against dozens of suspected rioters.

But because the vast majority of the rioters were allowed to leave the Capitol building free of arrest, investigators now face the massive undertaking of identifying and tracking down hundreds of people from all over the country.

NBC News spoke to one of the most recognizable participants in the Capitol assault Thursday as he was in a car cruising out of Washington, D.C.

Jake Angeli, who stormed the Capitol bare chested and wearing a fur headdress with horns, gloated over the mob attack, saying: "The fact that we had a bunch of our traitors in office hunker down, put on their gas masks and retreat into their underground bunker, I consider that a win."

Here are some of our other coverage on the fallout from the riots:

President-elect Joe Biden called the Capitol rioters "domestic terrorists" and lamented how they were treated compared to Black Lives Matter protesters.
'Vintage white rage': Why the riots were about the perceived loss of white power.
News analysis: Republicans warned this day would come. Then they forgo t.

Video: Dozens charged as FBI, police search for more rioters

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Plus

The U.S. set another record with more 4,000 Covid-19 deaths on Thursday, the most in a single day. Follow our live blog for all the latest on the pandemic.

"Failure and fragility": U.S. foes like China and Iran see opportunity in the chaos of Trump-stoked riot.

Boeing has been charged with criminal conspiracy and fined $2.5 billion for coverup over 737 Max crashes.

THINK about it

To be white in America means you can storm the Capitol — and take selfies with police, Dorian Warren writes in an opinion piece.

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A challenging moment

"It's a nightmare."

"It's heartbreaking."

"It's sad to watch our country almost be torn apart."

We've all been through a difficult week. From Chicago to Atlanta, NBC News' Kevin Tibbles reports on how Americans reacted to the Capitol riots.

Video: Americans react to Capitol riots

Thanks for reading the Morning Rundown. It's been a tough start to the new year. I hope you have a peaceful weekend.

If you have any comments — likes, dislikes — send me an email at: petra@nbc uni.com

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Thanks, Petra Cahill