Biden calls for US Capitol riot not to be 'rewritten'
US president Joe Biden said Sunday that the events of January 6, 2021—when Donald Trump's supporters stormed the US Capitol—should not be forgotten or "rewritten" four years on.
"I don't think we should pretend it didn't happen," he told reporters at the White House, a day before Trump's comeback victory is set to be certified by Congress.
After Biden's victory in the 2020 election, then-president Trump called for Congress and his vice president to block the certification, falsely claiming widespread fraud had led to his loss.
Following a rally outside the White House, Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol building and forced the certification to be delayed until early the next morning.
"I think what he did was a genuine threat to democracy," Biden said Sunday, but adding: "I'm hopeful that we're beyond it."
"I think it should not be rewritten, I don't think it should be forgotten," he said.
He also emphasized his efforts to ensure a "smooth transition."
"We've got to get back to basic, normal transfer of power," he said.
Biden frequently cast Trump as a threat to democracy when he was the Democratic presidential nominee running against the Republican, before being replaced on the ticket by Vice President Kamala Harris.
Unlike in the 2020 election, Biden quickly acknowledged Trump's election win and as a symbol of commitment to the peaceful transfer of power, invited him to the White House for a sit-down. (AFP)
