{"id":45770,"date":"2021-01-07T01:45:08","date_gmt":"2021-01-07T01:45:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2021\/01\/07\/former-defense-secretaries-mattis-esper-decry-attack-on-the-capitol-and-trumps-rhetoric\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T07:39:59","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T07:39:59","slug":"former-defense-secretaries-mattis-esper-decry-attack-on-the-capitol-and-trumps-rhetoric","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/congress\/2021\/01\/07\/former-defense-secretaries-mattis-esper-decry-attack-on-the-capitol-and-trumps-rhetoric\/","title":{"rendered":"Former defense secretaries Mattis, Esper decry attack on the Capitol and Trump\u2019s rhetoric"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Former Defense Secretaries Jim Mattis and Mark Esper both condemned both Wednesday\u2019s attack on the Capitol <\/a>building by rioters and President Donald Trump for his role in the violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToday\u2019s violent assault on our Capitol, an effort to subjugate American democracy by mob rule, was fomented by Mr. Trump,\u201d Mattis said in a statement. \u201cHis use of the presidency to destroy trust in our election and to poison our respect for fellow citizens has been enabled by pseudo political leaders whose names will live in infamy as profiles in cowardice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Wednesday afternoon, shortly after lawmakers had begun the process of finalizing President-elect Joe Biden\u2019s victory last fall, hundreds of supporters of Trump rushed the Capitol building, eventually breaching entrances and flooding the floors outside the House and Senate chambers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One woman was killed and other rioters and police injured as lawmakers, staff and reporters were evacuated to secure areas of Capitol Hill. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called the actions \u201ca failed insurrection\u201d and vowed that \u201ccriminal behavior will never dominate Congress.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t