Ivanka Trump called the rebels who broke into the United States Capitol building “American Patriots”, while urging them to refrain from violence, before quickly backing down on the comment.
In a now deleted tweet sent while protesters invaded the seat of US democracy, the eldest daughter of the president and adviser said: “American patriots – any breach of security or disrespect for our law enforcement is unacceptable. The violence must stop immediately. Please be at peace. “
Clearly, she did not ask the protests to abandon her demonstration or asked to abandon the siege of the United States Capitol building.
Asked online about her use of the term “patriots” to describe protesters – some of whom carried the Confederacy’s breakaway 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)No. Peaceful protest is patriotic. Violence is unacceptable and must be condemned in the strongest terms. https://t.co/GwngZTqzTH
Ivanka Trump hasn’t tweeted since.
From inside the besieged Capitol building, journalist Jake Sherman condemned Trump’s use of the term “patriots”. “American patriots? I’m sitting here in blockade. The capitol was breached and people wielded weapons. What are you talking about?”
White House correspondent April Ryan said that while Ivanka was painted as the “voice of reason” advising her father, she was “complicit” in the violence on Capitol Hill.
AprilDRyan
(@AprilDRyan)We have always been told that @IvankaTrump it was going to be the “voice of reason” for your father. Instead, she is so complicit.
You can delete the tweet, but calling the troublemakers “American Patriots” will live! pic.twitter.com/0G8SGvH4fE
Others pointed out the exclusion of Trump’s tweet as evidence that it was inappropriate.
Eric Columbus, a former special adviser to the United States Department of Homeland Security, urged Ivanka and Donald Trump to end the violence.
Eric Columbus
(@EricColumbus)Go to your dad’s office and tell him to show up on TV and tell everyone to go home. Yell at him until he does. Save some lives, please.
Donald Trump’s Twitter account has been suspended “for repeated and serious violations of our Civic Integrity Policy”.
His account – the primary means of communicating with supporters – will be blocked for 12 hours after he deletes the offending tweets. If he refuses to delete them, his account will remain blocked and further violations may result in a permanent ban.
Twitter Security
(@TwitterSafety)As a result of the unprecedented and continuing violent situation in Washington, DC, we demand the removal of three @realDonaldTrump Tweets that were posted today for repeated and serious violations of our civic integrity policy. https://t.co/k6OkjNG3bM
“If the tweets are not removed, the account will remain blocked. Future violations of Twitter rules, including our civic integrity policies or violent threats, will result in the permanent suspension of the @realDonaldTrump account, ”said the Twitter security account.
In protests described as the biggest threat to US democracy since the civil war, Trump supporters stormed the US democracy headquarters – the Capitol building – seeking to block certification of the November presidential election, a constitutional formality that will allow President-elect Joe Biden will open on January 20.
While rioters were temporarily successful in suspending voting, the certification process resumed on Wednesday night.
One woman died of a gunshot wound sustained during the protests.