The Wall Street Journal editorial board has called on President Donald Trump to resign following a fatal siege this week on the U.S. Capitol by a mob of his supporters.
Multiple people — including a Capitol Police officer — died in the assault. And the head of the U.S. Capitol Police will resign, effective next week, after Wednesday’s violent riot.
“In concise summary, on Wednesday the leader of the executive branch incited a crowd to march on the legislative branch,” the conservative-leaning paper’s editorial board wrote.
“When some in the crowd turned violent and occupied the Capitol, the President caviled and declined for far too long to call them off. When he did speak, he hedged his plea with election complaint,” the editorial said.
“This was an assault on the constitutional process of transferring power after an election.
“It was also an assault on the legislature from an executive sworn to uphold the laws of the United States. This goes beyond merely refusing to concede defeat. In our view it crosses a constitutional line that Mr. Trump hasn’t previously crossed. It is impeachable.”
The Wall Street Journal editorial talks about whether impeachment or the 25th amendment are options but concludes: “It is best for everyone, himself included, if he goes away quietly.”
Trump faces talks of an early ouster from multiple political corners.
There is a growing discussion of impeaching him a second time or invoking the 25th Amendment to remove him from the Oval Office.
The invasion of the Capitol building, a powerful symbol of the nation’s democracy, rattled Republicans and Democrats alike.
They struggled with how best to contain the impulses of a president deemed too dangerous to control his own social media accounts but who remains commander in chief of the world’s greatest military.
“I’m not worried about the next election, I’m worried about getting through the next 14 days,” said Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, one of Trump’s staunchest allies.
He condemned the president’s role in Wednesday’s riots and said, “If something else happens, all options would be on the table.”
Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi declared that “the president of the United States incited an armed insurrection against America.” She called him “a very dangerous person who should not continue in office. This is urgent, an emergency of the highest magnitude.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
