Jeb Bush asks Donald Trump to accept defeat, ‘go home to Florida’

(Associated Press)

Former Gov. Jeb Bush has joined his brother and other Republicans in begging President Donald Trump to change course after inciting the riot that laid siege to the nation’s Capitol Wednesday.

Bush, one of the President’s rivals for the 2016 Republican nomination, once called Trump a “chaos candidate” and then a “chaos President.” The former Governor’s statement drew a parallel to those past sentiments.

“The President has provoked the disgusting events at the Capitol today. He has gone from creating chaos to inciting insurrection,” Bush tweeted.

The former Governor continued, telling Trump to return home to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach.

“Mr. President, accept your defeat, go home to Florida and let our elected officials do their jobs and rebuild confidence in our democracy.”

The President has provoked the disgusting events at the Capitol today. He has gone from creating chaos to inciting insurrection. Mr. President, accept your defeat, go home to Florida and let our elected officials do their jobs and rebuild confidence in our democracy.

— Jeb Bush (@JebBush) January 7, 2021

Bush’s older brother and former President George W. Bush says he and his wife, Laura, are sickened and heartbroken over the “mayhem” in Washington and have watched in “disbelief and dismay” as events unfolded.

Bush said the “assault” on the Capitol on Wednesday and the disruption to a constitutionally mandated meeting to affirm Democrat Joe Biden’s victory was “undertaken by people whose passions have been inflamed by falsehoods and false hopes.”

The Republican said in a statement that he is “appalled” by what he described as “reckless” behavior by some political leaders since the election and the lack of respect for U.S. institutions, traditions and law enforcement.

“This is how election results are disputed in a banana republic — not our democratic republic,” the former President said. “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.”

Bush addressed those who are disappointed by the election result, saying, “our country is more important than the politics of the moment.”

Dozens of Trump’s supporters breached the security perimeter and entered the Capitol as Congress was meeting. They fought with officers both inside the building and out.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.