Donald Trump urges 'NO violence', appeals for calm

Wahington, Jan 14: President Donald Trump on Wednesday urged his supporters to maintain calm and said he opposed any violence among supporters as Congress debated his impeachment for inciting insurrection.

"In light of reports of more demonstrations, I urge that there must be NO violence, NO lawbreaking and NO vandalism of any kind. That is not what I stand for, and it is not what America stands for," Trump said in a statement released by the White House.

"I call on ALL Americans to help ease tensions and calm tempers. Thank You."

The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives would vote on the impeachment of outgoing President Donald Trump soon on charges of inciting his supporters to carry out a violent attack on Capitol Hill last week.

The article of impeachment charges Trump with a count of "incitement of insurrection" for his actions on January 6, when he delivered a speech inciting his supporters to lay siege to the Capitol, an action that temporarily halted the counting of Electoral College votes and resulted in the deaths of five individuals, including an officer of the US Capitol Police.

The Democrats have enough votes to impeach the president in the House, which requires a simple majority.But the Senate, where both the Republicans and Democrats have now 50-50 seats -- would require votes of two-third of the members to remove the president out of office.

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in her capacity as Chairperson of the Senate would add one more to the Democrats when necessary.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said the vote on impeachment in the upper chambers of the US Congress can not happen before the Inauguration Day on January 20.