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WASHINGTON (AP) – As House on the verge of impeachment, President Donald Trump blames Democratic enemies in Congress for “huge anger” in the country and last week’s deadly attack on the Capitol by his supporters after having urged them to set out.

The besieged president, in his first remarks to reporters since last week’s attack, took no responsibility on Tuesday for the deadly mob invasion of the building, but also said he did not want ” violence”.

Trump defended his fiery remarks at a rally in front of a crowd of protesters last week as “totally appropriate,” and he showed no remorse for the next attack, the most serious and most serious domestic incursion. murderous at the Capitol in the history of the country.

On impeachment, Trump said it was “a really terrible thing they’re doing.”

“To continue on this path, I think it creates enormous danger for our country, and it causes enormous anger,” he said. “I don’t want violence.

The president spoke as he left for Texas to survey the border wall with Mexico. He took no questions.

Impeachment ahead, the House will first attempt on Tuesday to convince the Vice President and Cabinet to act even faster to remove Trump from office, warning that he poses a threat to democracy in the final days of his presidency .

House lawmakers are meeting on Capitol Hill for the first time since the deadly pro-Trump riot to approve a resolution calling on Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to declare the president incapable of serving. Pence is not expected to take such a step. The House would then act quickly to impeach Trump.

Trump faces only one charge – “incitement to insurgency” – in the impeachment resolution that the House will begin debate on Wednesday, a week before Democrat Joe Biden’s inauguration on January 20.

The unprecedented events, only the first US president to be indicted twice, are unfolding in a nation bracing for more unrest. The FBI has worryingly warned against possible armed demonstrations in Washington and many states by Trump loyalists before Biden’s inauguration. In a grim foreshadowing, the Washington Monument has been closed to the public and the dedication ceremony on the West Steps of the Capitol will be closed to the public.

All of this added to the breathtaking final moments of Trump’s presidency as Democrats and a growing number of Republicans say he is unfit for office and could do more damage after he incites a crowd to violently trash the United States Capitol last Wednesday.

A Capitol police officer died of injuries sustained in the riot and police shot dead a woman in the violence. Three other people have died in what authorities have called a medical emergency.

“We have to be very tough and very strong right now to defend the Constitution and democracy,” Representative Jamie Raskin, D-Md., Author of the two laws, said in an interview.

On Monday evening, the entire Congressional Hispanic caucus, all 34 members, unanimously agreed to support impeachment, calling for the immediate impeachment of Trump.

“It is clear that at any moment that Trump remains in power, America is in danger,” said a statement from the caucus, led by Representative Raul Ruiz, D-Ca. He said Trump “must be held accountable” for his actions.

Democrats aren’t the only ones saying Trump must go.

Representative Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., On Monday evening urged her House GOP colleagues to “vote your conscience,” according to a person who was granted anonymity to discuss the private call. She criticized Trump’s actions but has not publicly said how she would vote.

Republican Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania joined GOP Senator Lisa Murkowski from Alaska this weekend in calling on Trump to “get out as quickly as possible.”

Pence and Trump met Monday night for the first time since the attack on Capitol Hill and had a “good conversation” by pledging to continue working for the remainder of their term, a senior administration official said , who requested anonymity to discuss the private meeting. .

Pence gave no indication that he would continue to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office. No member of Cabinet has publicly called for Trump to be removed from office through the 25th Amendment process.

As security tightened, Biden said Monday he was “not afraid” to take the oath outside the Capitol.

Regarding the rioters, Biden said: “It is extremely important that we really focus on the detention of those people who have engaged in sedition and threatened life, degrading public property, causing great loss. damage – that they be held responsible. “

Biden said he had conversations with senators ahead of a possible impeachment trial, which some fear could scramble the early days of his administration.

Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer was exploring ways to immediately summon the Senate for trial as soon as the House acts, although Republican Leader Mitch McConnell is expected to agree. The president-elect suggested splitting the Senate’s time, perhaps “spending half a day dealing with impeachment, half a day getting my people nominated and confirmed in the Senate, as well as moving forward on the package” to more COVID relief.

As Congress resumes, unease swept through the government. Another lawmaker, Representative Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., Announced on Tuesday that she had tested positive for COVID-19 after taking refuge during the siege.

Many lawmakers can choose to vote by proxy rather than come to Washington, a process that was put in place last year to limit the health risks of travel.

Republican House Leader Kevin McCarthy has discouraged GOP lawmakers from using the proxy option. But on a call with them, he loosened his strict opposition to this week’s votes, according to a Republican who was granted anonymity to discuss the private call.

Among Trump’s closest allies in Congress, McCarthy said in a letter to colleagues that “impeachment right now would have the opposite effect of bringing our country together.”

He said he would look into possible censorship of the president. But House Republicans are divided and a few can vote for impeachment.

Democrats say they have the votes for impeachment. The impeachment bill for Representatives David Cicillin of Rhode Island, Ted Lieu of California, Raskin of Maryland, and Jerrold Nadler of New York was inspired by Trump’s false claims about his electoral defeat to Biden.

Judges across the country, including some appointed by Trump, have repeatedly dismissed cases challenging election results, and former Attorney General William Barr, a Trump ally, said there was no no sign of widespread fraud.

Impeachment legislation also details Trump’s pressure on Georgia state officials to ‘find’ him more votes, as well as his White House rally ahead of the Capitol siege, in which he encouraged on Wednesday last thousands of supporters to “fight like hell” and march. to the building.

The mob overpowered the police, broke through security lines and windows and ransacked the Capitol, forcing lawmakers to disperse as they finalized Biden’s victory over Trump in the Electoral College.

While some have questioned the president’s impeachment so close to the end of his term, Democrats and others argue that he should be barred from taking up future public office.

There is precedent for pursuing impeachment after an official leaves office. In 1876, during Ulysses Grant’s administration, Secretary of War William Belknap was impeached by the House on the day he resigned, and the Senate called a trial months later. He was acquitted.

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Barrow reported from Wilmington, Delaware. Associated Press editors Alan Fram, Jill Colvin, Ellen Knickmeyer, Tom Beaumont, and Darlene Superville contributed to this report.