George W. Bush slams pro-Trump 'insurrection' at US Capitol: "This is how election results are disputed in a banana republic'

• Former President George W. Bush issued a rare statement warning of the dangers of an "insurrection" after a pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol on Wednesday.
• "This is how election results are disputed in a banana republic – not our democratic republic. I am appalled by the reckless behavior of some political leaders since the election," Bush said.
• President Donald Trump incited the violent events at the US Capitol as he continued to push for the election result to be overturned.

Former President George W. Bush in a rare statement excoriated those who incited and were involved in the pro-Trump "insurrection" at the US Capitol on Wednesday.

"This is how election results are disputed in a banana republic - not our democratic republic. I am appalled by the reckless behavior of some political leaders since the election and by the lack of respect shown today for our institutions, our traditions, and our law enforcement," said Bush, who has generally avoided the spotlight since leaving the White House.

Bush said that the "violent assault on the Capitol - and disruption of a Constitutionally-mandated meeting of Congress - was undertaken by people whose passions have been inflamed by falsehoods and false hopes."

The former Republican president warned that the siege could do "grave damage" to the country and its reputation.

"In the United States of America, it is the fundamental responsibility of every patriotic citizen to support the rule of law," Bush added. "To those who are disappointed in the results of the election: Our country is more important than the politics of the moment. Let the officials elected by the people fulfill their duties and represent our voices in peace and safety."

Supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol building on Wednesday as lawmakers met in a joint session for the final step in certifying President-elect Joe Biden's 2020 victory. The riot, which was provoked by a speech from Trump earlier in the day, prompted a delay in the proceedings as Congress was evacuated.

Trump has repeatedly and baselessly asserted that he lost the election due to mass voter fraud. The president has called on his supporters to disperse amid the violence, but has simultaneously risked exacerbating the situation by continuing to push the false notion that the election was "stolen" from him.

Wednesday's unsettling events marked the most large-scale breach of the Capitol since the War of 1812.