McMaster: Trump ‘compromised our principles’ for ‘personal gain’

Former national security adviser H. R. McMaster on Thursday cast blame on President Trump and his allies for the mob of supporters storming the Capitol the previous day, forcing a lockdown and lawmakers to evacuate.

“The reasons for yesterday’s criminal assault on our Congress and election process are many. But foremost among them is the sad reality that President Trump and other officials have repeatedly compromised our principles in pursuit of partisan advantage and personal gain,” McMaster wrote in a series of tweets Thursday.

McMaster continued, “Those who engaged in disinformation and demagoguery in pursuit of self-interest abdicated their responsibility to the American people. It was, in every sense of the phrase, a dereliction of duty.”

Several lawmakers have similarly blamed Trump and his supporters in Congress for the breach, saying they had spread misinformation regarding the election that incited Trump’s supporters to violently force their way into the Capitol.

Democrats in Congress have called for Trump to be impeached or for Vice President Pence and members of Trump’s Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove him. One Republican lawmaker, Rep. Adam Kinzinger (Ill.), has joined in the calls for Trump’s removal. 

Other leaders who have faced blowback following Wednesday’s rioting include Sens. Ted Cruz (Texas) and Josh Hawley (Mo.), who were among the group of Republican lawmakers who voiced their opposition to certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the Electoral College.

“It is time to educate ourselves about the gifts our republic bestows, recognize our republic requires continuous nurturing, bolster our democratic institutions and processes, and reject conspiracy theories and false narratives designed to polarize us and pit us against each other,” added McMaster.

“We must demand more from our political parties and elected officials, and work together to restore our confidence, self respect, and respect for our fellow citizens.”

McMaster, a retired Army lieutenant general, left the Trump administration in 2018 after serving as head of the National Security Council for a year. Trump picked him for the top security role in February 2017, shortly after firing his first national security adviser Michael Flynn.

McMaster exited the administration amid reports of growing friction between him and the president. Since leaving the White House, McMaster has made several pointed remarks about Trump, saying in October that the president was “aiding and abetting” Russian president Vladimir Putin’s efforts to polarize Americans.