Former Attorney General William P. Barr on Thursday condemned President Trump in a scathing statement one day after the president’s supporters laid siege to the U.S. Capitol.
“Orchestrating a mob to pressure Congress is inexcusable. The president’s conduct yesterday was betrayal of his office and supporters,” Mr. Barr said in a blistering statement.
While some members of the Trump administration resigned in protest of the riot at the Capitol, Mr. Barr had been a fierce defender of the president during several high-profile controversies.
Mr. Barr earlier this year defended Mr. Trump’s heavy-handed tactics against social justice protesters during this summer’s riots after the death of unarmed Black man while in the custody of the Minneapolis police.
Mr. Barr resigned last month after he contradicted the president’s unverified claims of widespread fraud in the election.
After Mr. Trump headlined a rally in downtown Washington, his supporters marched to the Capitol, breached barriers and stole and vandalized property, forcing lawmakers to go into lockdown.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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