U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is weighing in on the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6 during his first TV interview.
Blinken was asked during an interview with NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell, which aired on Monday, about U.S. adversaries using the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6 as propaganda against the U.S. and what U.S. democracy stands for.
“The attack on our own democracy on January 6 creates an even greater challenge for us to be carrying the banner of democracy and freedom and human rights,” Blinken responded.
He added, “When we are challenged, including when we challenge ourselves, we’re doing it in full daylight with full transparency.”
Additionally, the secretary of state said that the U.S. government’s response to the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol “sends a powerful message to countries that are trying to sweep everything under the rug.”
Watch Blinken’s interview below:
In an @NBCNews exclusive, Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with @mitchellreports about Russian’s handling of activist Alexei Navalny and other foreign relations challenges facing the Biden administration. pic.twitter.com/65Ga2HDJsV
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) February 1, 2021
Russia, China, and Iran have used the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 as evidence that the U.S. government is “fundamentally flawed and riddled with hypocrisy,” as NBC News reports.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei previously said, “You are now seeing the situation in the U.S. This is their democracy and human rights, this is their election scandal, these are their values. These values are being mocked by the whole world. Even their friends are laughing at them.”
Blinken said on his first day as secretary of state, “The world is watching us intently right now. They want to know if we can heal our nation. They want to see whether we will lead with the power of our example…and if we will put a premium on diplomacy with our allies and partners to meet the great challenges of our time.” The challenges include climate change and the coronavirus pandemic, among others.
Additionally, Blinken was asked by NBC News’ Mitchell if China “needs to be held accountable for not being open about the COVID-19 when it first hit.”
He said there is “no doubt” when the coronavirus first hit but also today, “China is falling fall short of the mark.”
“The focus we have to have is both getting full understanding and accountability for what happened,” Blinken said.