Washington, D.C. – As the election season ramps up, President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign is taking a stand against violence in politics. In a recent press conference, former Capitol Police Sergeant Aquilino Gonell, District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Officer Daniel Hodges, and Biden-Harris Communications Director Michael Tyler urged Americans to reject the divisive and violent rhetoric of former President Donald Trump.
Tyler emphasized that political violence has no place in America and should never be tolerated. The discussion surrounding this issue, Tyler stated, would have been unimaginable a decade ago but has unfortunately become all too common in today’s political climate.
The campaign criticized Trump for recycling themes from his previous presidential bid, which ultimately culminated in the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. They pointed to a recent social media post by Trump depicting Biden in a disturbing manner as evidence of his willingness to incite violence for political gain.
Gonell condemned Trump’s failure to denounce the violence of January 6th, emphasizing the former president’s lack of concern for the well-being of law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line during the attack. The campaign team lambasted Trump for his unwavering support of individuals involved in the Capitol assault, labeling them “patriots” and “political prisoners.”
Hodges echoed these sentiments, criticizing Trump for continuing to encourage political violence across the country. He denounced Trump’s claims of supporting law enforcement while simultaneously promoting acts of violence against them.
The press conference took place as Trump prepared to campaign in Michigan and Wisconsin, sparking further debate about the future direction of American politics. Gonell urged all Americans to pay attention to Trump’s rhetoric, warning that his willingness to foment violence for personal gain should disqualify him from holding any future political office.
The discussion also addressed attempts to downplay the events of January 6th, with Gonell rejecting any revisionist narratives that seek to portray the insurrection as anything less than a violent attack on democracy. Members of Congress who downplay the severity of the events, he argued, are disregarding the reality of that harrowing day and the heroism of law enforcement officers who prevented further tragedy.