‘The world is watching!’: Foreign leaders decry pro-Trump assault on Capitol

Leaders across the globe expressed their horror at the scenes unfolding in Washington Wednesday where thousands of supporters of US President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol as Congress was certifying the presidential election results.

“Disgraceful scenes in US Congress,” wrote British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Twitter. “The United States stands for democracy around the world and it is now vital that there should be a peaceful and orderly transfer of power.”

“Trump and his supporters should finally accept the decision of American voters and stop trampling on democracy,” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas tweeted.

“The enemies of democracy will be pleased to see these incredible images from Washington DC,” he added. “Inflammatory words turn into violent actions.”

German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, who is also the vice chancellor, likewise condemned the “disturbing images” from Washington.

“This is an unbearable attack on democracy,” he tweeted, adding that Trump had “deeply divided the country.”

“Shocking scenes in Washington, DC,” NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg tweeted, as images of the pro-Trump mob storming the US Capitol sped around the world.

“The outcome of this democratic election must be respected,” he said, referring to the US presidential election that saw Joe Biden beat Trump.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian condemned “a serious attack on democracy… The will and the votes of the American people must be respected.”

In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was silent, but opposition leader Yair Lapid tweeted, “My thoughts are with all my friends in Washington tonight. We hope to see order restored and the transition of power completed,”

“America needs to go back to being a role model for democracies across the world,” Lapid added.

Turkey, which saw its own coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2016, issued a statement through its foreign ministry inviting “all parties in US to use moderation, common sense to overcome this domestic political crisis.”

Irish premier Micheal Martin, who has invited the Irish-American Biden to visit his ancestral homeland early in his presidency, tweeted his condemnation.

“The Irish people have a deep connection with the United States of America, built up over many generations. I know that many, like me, will be watching the scenes unfolding in Washington DC with great concern and dismay,” Martin said.

Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney went further in directly rebuking Trump.

“Shocking & deeply sad scenes in Washington DC — we must call this out for what it is: a deliberate assault on Democracy by a sitting President & his supporters, attempting to overturn a free & fair election!” he tweeted.

“The world is watching! We hope for restoration of calm.”