Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), called for the results of the 2020 U.S. presidential election to be “respected” as pro-Trump rioters stormed through the Capitol building Wednesday.
“Shocking scenes in Washington, D.C. The outcome of this democratic election must be respected,” Stoltenberg tweeted.
President Trump has so far not released any statements instructing his supporters to leave. Soon after rioters broke into the Capitol, he tweeted out a statement asking them to “Stay peaceful!”
Lawmakers have been evacuated out of the Capitol building. Numerous news outlets have reported that one woman has been shot on Capitol grounds.
Vice President Pence was ushered out of the building shortly before the mob breached the Capitol.
He later tweeted, “The violence and destruction taking place at the US Capitol Must Stop and it Must Stop Now. Anyone involved must respect Law Enforcement officers and immediately leave the building.”
“Peaceful protest is the right of every American but this attack on our Capitol will not be tolerated and those involved will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” he said in another tweet.
Trump’s NATO ambassador Kay Bailey Hutchison had previously stated that the transition to a Biden administration would be “smooth” after the former vice president won the presidential election.