Ivanka Trump called the insurgents who stormed the US Capitol building “American Patriots” while urging them to refrain from violence, before hastily returning the comment.
In a now-deleted tweet sent as protesters stormed the seat of US democracy, the eldest daughter and the president’s adviser said: “American patriots – any breach of security or disrespect for our law enforcement is unacceptable. The violence must stop immediately. Please be peaceful. “
Clearly, she did not call for the protests to abandon her demonstration, nor did she call for the siege of the US Chapter building.
Asked online about the use of the term “patriots” to describe protesters – some of them carrying the secessionist Confederate flag – Ivanka Trump clarified: “No. The peaceful protest is patriotic. Violence is unacceptable and must be condemned in the strongest terms. “ She deleted the original tweet. The answer remains online.
Ivanka Trump
(@IvankaTrump)Not. The peaceful protest is patriotic. Violence is unacceptable and must be condemned in the strongest terms. https://t.co/GwngZTqzTH
Ivanka Trump has not posted on Twitter since.
Inside the besieged Capitol building, journalist Jake Sherman condemned Trump’s use of the term “patriots.” “American patriots? I’m locked up here. The chapter has been violated and people have guns fired. What are you talking about?”
White House correspondent April Ryan said that while Ivanka was painted as the “voice of reason” her father advised, she was an “accomplice” to the violence visited at the Capitol.
AprilDRyan
(@AprilDRyan)We’ve always been told that @IvankaTrump she would be the “voice of reason” for her father. Instead, she is just as complicit.
You can delete the tweet, but you call the “American Patriots” revolvers will continue to live! pic.twitter.com/0G8SGvH4fE
Others said Trump deleted the tweet as proof that it was inappropriate.
Eric Columb, a former special adviser to the US Department of Homeland Security, urged Ivanka and Donald Trump to stop the violence.
Eric Columb
(@EricColumbus)Go to your father’s office and tell him to go on TV and tell everyone to go home. She yells at him until she does. Save some lives, please.
Donald Trump’s Twitter account has been suspended “for repeated and severe violations of our civic integrity policy.”
His account – the main means of communication with supporters – will be blocked for 12 hours after deleting the tweets that violate rights. If he refuses to delete them, his account will remain blocked and other violations could lead to a permanent ban.
Twitter security
(@TwitterSafety)Following the unprecedented and ongoing violent situation in Washington, DC, we have requested the removal of three @realDonaldTrump Tweets that were posted earlier today for repeated and serious violations of our civic integrity policy. https://t.co/k6OkjNG3bM
“If tweets are not deleted, the account will remain blocked. Future violations of the Twitter Rules, including our civic integrity policies or violent threats, will result in the permanent suspension of the @realDonaldTrump account, ”the Twitter security account said.
In protests described as the biggest threat to US democracy since the civil war, Trump loyalists stormed the seat of US democracy – the Capitol building – trying to block the certification of the November presidential election, a constitutional formality that will allow President-elect Joe Biden inaugurated on January 20th.
While the insurgents temporarily managed to stop the vote, the certification process was resumed on Wednesday evening, US time.
A woman died from a gunshot wound caused in protest.