'Tell these folks to go home': Trump's former chief of staff says his tweets telling Capitol rioters to be 'peaceful' are 'not enough'

• President Donald Trump's former Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney urged him to help stop the riots on the US Capitol and tell demonstrators to go home.
• Trump has so far refused to put out a stronger statement against the rioters, other than telling them to be peaceful, The New York Times reported.
• Vice President Mike Pence, who oversees the vote-counting process the rioters sought to stop, has told the rioters to "leave the building."

President Donald Trump's former Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said the president's tweets about rioters in the US Capitol building on Wednesday were "not enough."

"The President's tweet is not enough. He can stop this now and needs to do exactly that. Tell these folks to go home," Mulvaney wrote on Twitter.

On Wednesday, protesters breached the walls of the US Capitol building in Washington, DC, stormed the halls of Congress, and forced lawmakers to evacuate as they occupied the chambers and offices of elected officials.

The assault followed a rally earlier that day several miles way, where Trump, himself shielded by plexiglass, urged supporters to march on Capitol Hill.

Trump later tweeted that the rioters should "stay peaceful" but did not tell them to leave the US Capitol.

"I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence!" he tweeted.

The New York Times' Maggie Haberman reported that Trump has refused the urging of his aides to put out a stronger statement against the rioters.

The riots are intended to halt the Electoral College vote certification, a largely ceremonial event. Trump continues to deny the reality that he lost the 2020 presidential election to President-elect Joe Biden.

The vote-counting process is overseen by Vice President Mike Pence, who told protesters to leave the building.

The violence and destruction taking place at the US Capitol Must Stop and it Must Stop Now. Anyone involved must respect Law Enforcement officers and immediately leave the building," Pence said on Twitter.

"Peaceful protest is the right of every American but this attack on our Capitol will not be tolerated and those involved will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," he continued.