Pompeo says US not a ‘banana republic’ amid fallout from attack on Capitol

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo used his personal Twitter account on Thursday to criticize journalists and politicians for likening the U.S. to a “banana republic” following the violent attacks that occurred on the Capitol building Wednesday.

The push back from Pompeo came amid the fallout from an attack on the U.S. Capitol by a mob of President Trump’s supporters Wednesday, in which five people, including a Capitol Police officer, were killed.

The rioters marched on the Capitol with the intent of halting Congress’s count and certification of the 2020 Electoral College results. President-elect Joe Biden won both the popular and Electoral College votes in November over President Trump. 

Pompeo tweeted a day after the attack that “many prominent people – including journalists and politicians – have likened the United States to a banana republic. The slander reveals a faulty understanding of banana republics and of democracy in America.” 

In the wake of yesterday’s reprehensible attack on the U.S. Capitol, many prominent people – including journalists and politicians – have likened the United States to a banana republic. The slander reveals a faulty understanding of banana republics and of democracy in America.

— Mike Pompeo (@mikepompeo) January 8, 2021 

“In a banana republic, mob violence determines the exercise of power,” he continued. “In the United States, law enforcement officials quash mob violence so that the people’s representatives can exercise power in accordance with the rule of law and constitutional government.”

Former President George W. Bush used the term “banana republic” in his statement condemning the violence that took place at the Capitol. Bush, the 43rd president of the U.S. and a Republican, said in a statement that the scenes of violence were “sickening and heartbreaking,” and “This is how election results are disputed in a banana republic — not our democratic Republic. ” 

Pompeo further said that lawmakers returning to a joint session of Congress to carry out the task of certifying the election results later Wednesday evening after the Capitol was secure, “represents a victory for the rule of law & constitutional government in America.”

The State Department did not offer comment on why Pompeo used his personal Twitter account to issue the criticism. 

He used his official twitter account to condemn the violence at the Capitol. 

During the Wednesday attack on the Capitol the mob breached the building, broke windows, vandalized the halls and offices of lawmakers and attacked police and journalists. 

A woman was shot and killed in the Capitol amid the violence and at least one Capitol Police officer died from injuries sustained in the attack on the building.

Lawmakers are furious over the security failure that allowed the mob to overwhelm law enforcement and run through the building. During the breach, lawmakers were forced to evacuate to undisclosed locations.

Top security officials in the Capitol have resigned over the attack, including U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund, Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Michael Stenger and House Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Irving. 

U.S. foreign allies expressed shock and horror at the events that took place and American adversaries skewered the U.S. for having no moral authority to criticize other countries’ suppression of democratic norms.

President Trump was been widely condemned for encouraging his supporters at a rally Wednesday to march to the Capitol and urge Congress not to certify the results of the 2020 election.

The president has also repeatedly claimed that the election was “stolen” from him.

At least two cabinet officials and six members of Trump’s staff have resigned in protest over the president’s role in instigating the violence at the Capitol.