Woody Johnson, Jets owner and United States ambassador to the United Kingdom, condemned supporters of President Donald Trump who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.
A Trump appointee, Johnson denounced the violence, which resulted in five reported deaths, in a statement. He also acknowledged that President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be inaugurated on Jan. 20.
Johnson’s full statement reads as follows:
Wednesday was a dark day for the United States. Like you, I watched the horrible scenes from Washington with profound concern and sadness. What happened at the Capitol does not represent who we are or what we stand for as Americans. Those who participated and engaged in criminal acts should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of our law.
The United States Congress has certified the election, and Joe Biden will become the 46th President of the United States on January 20. I congratulate President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris and stand ready to do whatever is needed during this transition to ensure the U.S.-UK relationship remains the cornerstone of our shared security and shared prosperity.
It has been the honor of my lifetime to serve as Ambassador here, and I will be forever grateful to President Trump for entrusting me with this role. The peaceful transition of power is a hallmark of our great American democracy, I wish the incoming Administration and the President-elect well. As is the case for every Administration, their success will be our country’s success.
God bless America.
Johnson, a major Republican and Trump donor, did not address the president’s role in inciting the riot. Johnson did, however, acknowledge that his time as ambassador is nearing its end as a new administration prepares to take over.
The end of his diplomatic term has been an area of speculation for Jets fans since it began. It is still unclear when exactly Johnson will return to the Jets, but his brother, team CEO Christopher Johnson, said Woody will regain a prominent role when he does.
However, Woody Johnson is not expected to sit in on the team’s head-coaching interviews, which are already underway.