On Wednesday, the joint session of Congress overseen by Vice President Mike Pence to certify the 2020 election results was thrown into chaos when pro-Trump extremists stormed the U.S. Capitol, forcing Pence to evacuate and for lawmakers and press to hide in offices and behind chairs in the gallery.
The extremists walked freely through the Capitol, parading on the Senate floor and ransacking offices like that of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). By the time the Capitol was finally secure, four people were dead.
The unprecedented insurrection at the U.S. Capitol represented one of the darkest days for democracy in modern American history, and people know where to place the blame.
Just before the siege, Trump addressed the "Save America" rally organized by his supporters. He told them to "fight" and to walk to the Capitol to confront lawmakers, repeating his lies that the 2020 election was stolen by Democrats who orchestrated widespread election fraud that somehow tipped the 2020 election to President-elect Joe Biden.
The violence was a gruesome culmination of Trump's months-long smear campaign against American election integrity and of his capitulation to white nationalist militias like the Proud Boys.
MSNBC host Joe Scarborough excoriated Trump and his enablers for the chaos they fomented, and he didn't mince words in doing so.
Watch below.
Joe Scarborough calls for the immediate arrest of Trump, Giuliani and Trump Jr. for insurrection against the United States pic.twitter.com/4z5CPjATwQ
— John Kruzel (@johnkruzel) January 7, 2021
First, Scarborough condemned the Capitol police, who can be seen in at least one video allowing protestors through barricades and onto Capitol grounds.
He shouted:
"So I want to know from the Capitol Hill police — what, is it just white people? Or is it Donald Trump supporters? Why do you scream at people for walking across the street three blocks away from the Capitol? Why are you known as these badasses around the Capitol? But then Trump supporters come in and you open the f***ing doors for them!"
Then he called for accountability from the President and his enablers, like bumbling lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who called for "trial by combat" ahead of the siege.
"That's insurrection against the United States of America and if Donald Trump Jr., Rudy Giuliani and Donald Trump are not arrested today for insurrection and taken to jail and booked ... if they are not arrested and brought to justice today — then we are no longer a nation of laws and we only tell people they can do this again."
People applauded Scarborough and agreed that the instigators and participants need to be held accountable.
Morning Joe expressing how a lot of us feel today. https://t.co/Ptkvgt9KKg
— Tome Cvitan (@cvitan) January 7, 2021
Sedition and insurrection can not be ignored. Arrest them all. Prosecute to the fullest extent of the law. https://t.co/QzlDeejnOy
— MichaelRaymond-James (@MRaymondJames) January 7, 2021
I'm here for @JoeNBC dropping f-bombs on live TV to make a point.
We need action from congressional leaders. Today. https://t.co/OYPWeFhXr2
— maybe: 25th Amendment Has Entered The Chat (@RickyProphete) January 7, 2021
@JoeNBC yes, my dude. Asking all the right questions. https://t.co/UPv5Je93AM
— Super Nurse; Super tired 😴 (@MomRobe) January 7, 2021
We are all @JoeNBC today. https://t.co/gE3K76JuBa
— LL (@LL913) January 7, 2021
Trump—whose Twitter account remains locked for fear that he'll incite further violence—is facing widespread calls for his resignation or removal.
No, we are not going to turn the page from yesterday. We're going to get accountability and justice for the violent insurrection Trump led against the United States Constitution.
— Ed Markey (@EdMarkey) January 7, 2021
Impeach. Remove. Disqualify from future office.https://t.co/uMmEzYX4ev
— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) January 7, 2021
!!! @SenSchumer says Trump should be removed from office immediately!!! pic.twitter.com/rxREnhwZ0P
— John Bresnahan (@bresreports) January 7, 2021
Let me be very clear: if all we do is accept the certified Electoral College results and go home, we would have failed our country. We must impeach Trump, or have the 25th Amendment execute, or have @realDonaldTrump resign. Congress cannot just go home like nothing happened. https://t.co/aNBgiqwr7g
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) January 7, 2021
Other than a statement attributed to him acknowledging the imminence of a transition, Trump has largely remained silent since being locked from his Twitter account.