Justin Trudeau is calling out U.S. President Donald Trump over the politically-motivated rioting that took place in the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, saying the outgoing president “incited” the rioters.
“What we witnessed was an assault on democracy by violent rioters, incited by the current president and other politicians,” Trudeau said off the top of his national address on Friday.
Trudeau said that “as shocking, deeply disturbing, and frankly saddening as that event remains,” he was pleased to see that ultimately democracy was upheld in that country.
The pro-Trump extremists, who were gathered to protest the certification of President-Elect Joe Biden’s electoral college victory, rushed security and breached the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C.. Some of the rioters carried confederate flags, and participants in the mob have been linked to extremist and far-right hate groups. Five people have died as a result of the chaos. It’s prompted national security and diplomatic experts to voice concerns about the same kind of discourse feeding its way into Canadian society.
Asked if he had any concerns about damaging the Canada-U.S. relationship by calling him and his base of supporters out like this—despite Trump only being in office for less than two more weeks—Trudeau said no, because he felt it was necessary to address that words and choices made by people in power have consequences.
Trudeau said he looks forward to working with Biden, after an “unpredictable” and often challenging relationship with the Trump administration.
