North Wales MS who called for ‘kindness’ for Donald Trump after US election defeat clarifies comments after Capitol riot

A North Wales MS who chastised his opponents in the wake of Donald Trump’s election defeat for not showing him enough “kindness” has moved to clarify his comments.

Darren Millar, the Conservative Member of the Senedd for Clwyd West, has spoken after the outgoing US President drew global condemnation as his supporters rioted at Capitol Hill in Washington yesterday.

During a plenary session held in the Welsh Parliament in November, Mr Millar accused Welsh Labour MSs of making “petty personal attacks” on Mr Trump during his four years in office.

It followed First Minister Mark Drakeford stating that Wales would benefit from Joe Biden’s election by being able to re-engage with the US on major issues, including health and climate change.

In response, Mr Millar said: “First Minister, last week marked World Kindness Day, and there are members of your own party, you included, who’ve advocated a kinder politics.

“But kindness is not something that the left have given to Donald Trump during his time as President of the United States.

“Do you agree with me that no matter who the President of the United States is, it is important that members of this chamber, including those heckling on your back benches right now, must not make petty personal attacks that we’ve seen against people like Donald Trump over the past four years and should instead practise what they preach?”

Mr Millar’s comments were highlighted on social media after yesterday’s violent scenes, which followed weeks of unsubstantiated claims by the president that the election had been “stolen” from him.

It’s since been confirmed that four people died during the rioting, with one woman fatally shot inside the US Capitol Building, while another three people died after suffering “medical emergencies”.

Mr Millar has shown his support for Mr Trump in the past by congratulating him on his win in the 2016 US election – an outcome he hailed as a “Brexit moment”.

He has now moved to condemn the actions of Trump supporters, but said his point about respecting the role of president remained relevant.

Congratulations to @realDonaldTrump on a formidable US Presidential Election victory! Brexit moment!!! #Election2016    #USA #Politics pic.twitter.com/z4TpRn5Q5k

— Darren Millar MS 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@DarrenMillarMS) November 9, 2016

In response to a request for comment from North.Wales, he said: “The scenes in Washington DC over the past 24 hours have been appalling.

“There is no place for violence in politics and those responsible for what has happened should be held to account for their actions and the tragic loss of life that has occurred.

“The point I was making in November is that, love him or loathe him, Donald Trump, was and currently is the President of the United States and it is important that those in government in Wales and elsewhere respect the office he holds even if they vehemently disagree with his views.

“The same applies to Joe Biden too, when he becomes president.”

Mr Millar is not the only Welsh Conservative member to come under fire following the violence.

There have been calls for former group leader Andrew RT Davies to apologise after he appeared to equate the storming of the Capitol to politicians who supported a second referendum on Brexit.

To be honest I’m not sure you’re in the strongest position right now given you campaigned to overturn democracy and the will of the British people. https://t.co/dKV1PuB6VB

— Andrew RT Davies (@AndrewRTDavies) January 6, 2021