Former US President Donald Trump has blamed former Vice President Mike Pence for January 6, 2021 violence surrounding the riots at Capitol Hill, US media reported. His remarks came in response to Pence, who on Saturday said that history would hold former president Donald Trump "accountable" for his role in the 2021 attack on the US Capitol.
The chaotic and violent scene unfolded at the US Capitol as supporters of President Donald Trump swarmed the building to protest the Electoral College vote. Rioters overpowered police and broke into the Capitol to protest as a joint session of Congress convened to certify President-elect Joe Biden's win. Multiple officers were injured in the scuffle. Several people died as a result of the violence on January 6, and the Capitol itself was badly damaged.
Donald Trump, who lost by some 7 million votes, has long denied the validity of US 2020 elections, claiming it to be a rampant fraud.
Mike Pence and Donald Trump have been at loggerheads since the former refused to go along with Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and remain in power.
"President Trump was wrong," Pence said in a speech at the annual Gridiron Dinner in Washington, a white-tie gala put on by journalists that draws top politicians.
"I had no right to overturn the election. And his reckless words endangered my family and everyone at the Capitol that day. And I know that history will hold Donald Trump accountable," Pence was quoted as saying by multiple media outlets.
Trump has already declared his intention to seek a new term as president in 2024 elections, and Pence indicated he may challenge him for the Republican nomination.
The Gridiron Dinner is usually a light-hearted event with skits and musical entertainment, and Pence initially sought to poke fun.
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