Five days since the storming of the United States Capitol in Washington D.C., First Lady Melania Trump has broken her silence; condemning the incident but also sending her thoughts and prayers to the protesters and security personnel killed during the riot.
"...My heart goes out to: Air Force Veteran, Ashli Babbit, Benjamin Philips, Kevin Greeson, Rosanne Boyland, and Capitol Police Officers, Brian Sicknick and Howard Liebengood. I pray for their families comfort and strength during this difficult time," she wrote, naming the four demonstrators and two police personnel who died during the clashes.
“I am disappointed and disheartened with what happened last week. I find it shameful that surrounding these tragic events there has been salacious gossip, unwarranted personal attacks, and false misleading accusations on me—from people who are looking to be relevant and have an agenda. This time is solely about healing our country and its citizens. It should not be used for personal gain,” she wrote.
“Our Nation must heal in a civil manner. Make no mistake about it, I absolutely condemn the violence that has occurred on our Nation’s Capitol. Violence is never acceptable.”
“As an American, I am proud of our freedom to express our viewpoints without persecution. It is one of the paramount ideals which America is fundamentally built on. Many have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect that right. With that in mind, I would like to call on the citizens of this country to take a moment, pause, and look at things from all perspectives.”
“I implore people to stop the violence, never make assumptions based on the color of a person’s skin or use differing political ideologies as a basis for aggression and viciousness. We must listen to one another, focus on what unites us, and rise above what divides us,” she wrote.
Her statement was delivered via the White House website and comes as President Donald Trump, accused of instigating the riots, has been blocked from most major social networks including Facebook and his favourite medium, Twitter.
In the aftermath of the riot, her chief of staff was among those who resigned in protest. During the riot, she was overseeing a photo shoot at the White House, CNN reported.
The First Lady did not comment on her husband’s role in instigating the riots—a charge that has lead to House Democrats preparing to impeach him for a second time—but seemed to join the President in acknowledging that the (contested by Trump) election had been won by Joe Biden.
“It has been the honor of my lifetime to serve as your First Lady. I want to thank the millions of Americans who supported my husband and me over the past 4 years and shown the incredible impact of the American spirit. I am grateful to you all for letting me serve you on platforms which are dear to me,” she wrote.
