Not Americans’ proudest moment ….
Of course it’s about Donald Trump, a person most foreign leaders have stepped away from for almost a year now and are waiting for Joe Biden to set things straight….
Many traditional US allies issued statements denouncing the storming of the Capitol — and much more forcefully than President Trump himself. Many officials defended the sanctity of the peaceful transfer of power and even reiterated their faith in US democracy. Some lamented how US politics, once a beacon of democracy, has descended into such chaos.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the violence “disgraceful” while acknowledging the example US democracy sets around the world and calling for “a peaceful and orderly transfer of power.”
UK politician Nigel Farage — an ally of President Trump — also expressed concerns, tweetingthat rushing the building was “wrong” and that the rioters should leave.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called for the results of the election to be respected.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has clashed with Trump in the past, said he was “deeply disturbed and saddened” by Wednesday’s attacks. Trudeau declared that “violence will never succeed in overruling the will of the people” while affirming his faith that US democracy would be upheld.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas also reacted strongly, tweeting in German, “The enemies of democracy will be happy to see these incredible pictures from DC,” and comparing the scene to the storming of the Reichstag — the 1933 event that paved the way for Hitler’s rise in Germany.
Armin Laschet, a potential successor to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said the US has “for centuries” been “a global symbol for freedom and democracy.” Laschet also directly blamed Trump’s supporters for the violence, saying they “hurt every friend in the US. Those sowing populism and polarization with words will reap hatred and violence.”