NY Post editorial board: ‘Trump has proven himself unworthy to be this country’s chief executive again’

The New York Post’s editorial board said in an editorial published on Friday that former President Trump has proven himself “unworthy” to serve as the country’s president again based on his hours-long refusal to attempt to quell the mob of rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The editorial is a stepped-up criticism of Trump from a piece the board published last month, which said “it’s time for Republicans to move on” from the former president. The board endorsed Trump for president in 2020. 

The editorial from Friday said that the debate over whether Trump’s speech at the Ellipse before the insurrection incited the mob is “somewhat of a red herring” from what it said was a more noteworthy point, that Trump “didn’t lift a finger” to stop the violent riot for three hours and seven minutes. 

“It’s up to the Justice Department to decide if this is a crime. But as a matter of principle, as a matter of character, Trump has proven himself unworthy to be this country’s chief executive again,” the board said. 

The piece followed the latest public hearing from the House select committee investigating the insurrection. At its hearing on Thursday, the committee outlined how Trump did not take action to disperse rioters for hours as the attack unfolded despite some of his top advisers pressuring him to do so. 

“His only focus was to find any means — damn the consequences — to block the peaceful transfer of power,” the editorial states. “There is no other explanation, just as there is no defense, for his refusal to stop the violence.” 

The committee also noted that Trump was aware of the violence as he slammed then-Vice President Mike Pence for not rejecting the results of the 2020 presidential election. 

Sarah Matthews, who served as White House deputy press secretary under Trump and resigned hours after the attack, testified that Trump’s tweet saying Pence did not have the “courage” to reject the results gave a “green light” to the rioters. 

The Post’s editorial states that Trump thought the violence would make Pence fold or delay the counting of the votes and he “further fanned the flames” with his tweet. 

“And he was the only person who could stop what was happening,” it states. “He was the only one the crowd was listening to. It was incitement by silence.” 

The Post’s editorial from last month pointed to other possible 2024 Republican presidential candidates including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. 

Trump has been hinting at another run for president for months and told New York Magazine earlier this month that he has already decided whether he will run again. He said the question is when he will announce his decision.