Republican businessman Ken Langone fired last week’s Capitol Hill riot on Wednesday, telling CNBC that he felt “betrayed” by President Donald Trump’s actions that led to the deadly events.
“I think the biggest mistake anyone will make is trying to rationalize what happened last week, what the president did and what that crowd did,” Langone said of “Squawk Box.” There was to be no softening at all. It was terrible. It was wrong. I am shocked.’
Trump supporters caught up with the Capitol exactly a week ago in an effort to stop Congress from finalizing President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the Electoral College. Trump’s incendiary rhetoric and repeated lies about widespread fraud in the November election helped stir up his supporters, and during a speech in Washington, the president encouraged supporters gathering in the city to march to the Capitol.
“I feel betrayed,” said Langone, who has strongly supported Trump’s economic policies over the years and has sometimes criticized the president, such as for his response to the deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017.
“Last Wednesday was a disgrace,” added Langone, the billionaire co-founder of Home Depot who has donated to Republicans over the years. ‘It should never have happened in this country. If it doesn’t break every American’s heart, something is wrong. It sure breaks my heart. I did not sign up for that. ‘
Langone, who serves as chairman of the board of directors of the NYU Langone Medical Center, urged Americans to rally with Biden and break bias. “If there is a time in history when all Americans have to be a patriot, this is that time,” he said.
“I’m going to do everything I can from day one to make sure I do my part to make Joe Biden the most successful president in the history of this country,” Langone said. “There’s a selfish reason for that, we have very serious big problems in the US to deal with,” like the coronavirus pandemic and public education.
Langone’s comments come as the House of Representatives prepares to vote to impeach Trump again, the second time for his role in instigating the Capitol riots. The Democrat-led effort has received the support of a few GOP members, including Rep. Liz Cheney from Wyoming. She is the third Republican in the House.
“I don’t care” if Trump is impeached, Langone said. “All I care about is one thing: Joe Biden will be sworn in as president on January 20.”
When asked specifically about the Republican members of Congress who voted against finalizing Biden’s victory even after the deadly riot, Langone said, “ Honestly, I don’t know what they had in mind … What a play it was on the stand? “
“There will be plenty of time, and I’m sure a lot of energy will be spent doing what they need to do, whether it’s for Trump, whether it’s for those senators or whatever it is,” Langone added to. “At the end of the day, thank goodness, we are a democracy and the voters have the final say.”