Obama: Attack on US Congress is 'great shame' but not surprising

Former President Barack Obama blamed Donald Trump and Republicans for the attack on the US Congress Wednesday, calling it "a moment of great dishonor and shame for our nation."

Via a statement on his official Twitter account, Obama said the incident was incited by Republican President Donald Trump, adding that Republican leaders now "have a choice" towards "extinguishing the flames" or "keep stoking the raging fires."

"But we'd be kidding ourselves if we treated it as a total surprise," Obama said, adding that it was "incited" by Trump, "who has continued to lie about the outcome of a lawful election baselessly."

Obama also singled out the Republican party, and its media supporters, whom he said have "too often been unwilling to tell their followers the truth" about Democrat Joe Biden's strong victory in the November 3 election.

"Now we see the consequences, whipped up into a violent crescendo," he said in a statement.