Donald Trump "chose not to act" on January 6 . Despite pressure from his advisors, including his children Ivanka and Eric, the former president was adamant, glued to the TV watching the Fox assault.
And in so doing he "betrayed his oath to the Constitution", " did not defend the country " and "abdicated his obligations".
The Congressional Assault Inquiry Commission traces the 187 minutes of the uprising, from when Trump left the stage after inviting his supporters to march on Capitol Hill to when he posted the video on Twitter asking his fans to go home. .
" He paved the way for violence and corruption " with his attempts to overturn the outcome of the vote and for this he must "be held accountable," says the chair of the special commission, Democrat Bennie Thompson.
Through videos and live testimonials, the commission traces those little more than three hours of panic minute by minute. Hours of tension in the White House with almost all of the president's advisers trying in vain to get him to intervene and stop the protest.
Trump did not want to hear from anyone and indeed, just before the violence exploded with force, he tweeted against former Vice President Mike Pence calling him a " coward " for wanting to certify the vote.
During those hours in Congress, Pence was immediately removed from the Secret Service: the agents - the commission reports - were so worried that the worst could happen that they phoned their families to say hello.
Trump " has added fuel to the fire ", has effectively given "permission" to protesters to raise their tone, Sarah Matthew, the former deputy spokesperson for the White House, said before the commission. As the situation exploded on Capitol Hill, the former president was engaged in a tug-of-war with his folks who wanted him to tweet to clamor and call for peace.
It was only after hours that Trump was persuaded to post a relaxing video asking protesters to go home. A video made possible in part thanks to the intervention of Ivanka who helped find the right words, the ones the president likes. "Everyone" in the White House and outside "wanted a stop to the protests. Everyone except Trump," points out Republican MP Adam Kinzinger, a member of the commission on January 6.
(Unioneonline / L)