The head of the EU executive called violence at the U.S. Capitol "outrageous" on Thursday (January 7) but said the fact Joe Biden was still confirmed by Congress proved that American democracy was resilient.

EU Chief: US Capitol violence 'outrageous' but US democracy is strong

Donald Trump attempted a coup, violated his oath of office and committed sedition. WION'S Palki tells you why Trump is the biggest challenge to America's democracy.

Gravitas: Donald Trump attempts a coup

Trump administration officials are expected to discuss a proposed expansion of an executive order banning U.S. investment in alleged Chinese military companies at a Thursday afternoon meeting, according to two people familiar with the matter.

At the meeting, officials from the Defense, State and Treasury Departments will consider, among other things, proposed changes to the November directive, which has spurred confusion among investors and firms seeking to comply, five sources said.

One change that is likely to be discussed is a draft amendment that would direct U.S. investors to completely divest their positions in the blacklisted companies by Nov. 11, 2021, according to two of the sources.

If approved, the proposed change would dramatically broaden the scope of the directive, which now states only that U.S. investors must stop buying securities of the blacklisted companies by that date.

It was not clear if any final decisions would be made at the meeting. The State and Treasury Departments did not immediately respond to requests for comment and the Defense Department declined to comment.

The executive order, signed by President Donald Trump in November, is part of his bid to cement his tough-on-China legacy in the waning days of his administration. It also sought to give teeth to a 1999 law that tasked the Defense Department with drafting a list of Chinese companies it believes are owned or controlled by the Chinese military.

The Defense Department has not yet provided a rationale for designating the companies.

The Pentagon has so far blacklisted 35 firms, including China`s top chipmaker SMIC and oil giant CNOOC. Reuters reported that the administration was considering adding tech giants Alibaba and Tencent.

A Beijing foreign ministry spokeswoman previously said China opposed U.S. efforts to suppress its companies, adding that Washington’s moves run counter to principles of market competition.

The November directive spurred some index providers like MSCI to announce plans to shed some of the blacklisted companies from their indexes.

But confusion over what the order requires prompted the New York Stock Exchange last Thursday to announce plans to delist three Chinese telecom companies that the Pentagon added to the blacklist. On Monday, the NYSE scrapped the move and then in a surprise twist the exchange reversed course a second time on Wednesday and vowed to continue with its bid to delist the firms.

The confusion comes against a backdrop of tension among U.S. agencies about how aggressively to implement the order. Reuters and other news outlets reported that the State and Defense Departments had pushed back against the Treasury Department after it planned to issue draft guidance that was seen as watering down the order.

Both U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin later wrote in tweets that there was no disagreement over the executive order.

Trump administration officials are expected to discuss a proposed expansion of an executive order banning U.S. investment in alleged Chinese military companies at a Thursday afternoon meeting, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Trump administration officials are expected to discuss a proposed expansion of an executive order banning U.S. investment in alleged Chinese military companies at a Thursday afternoon meeting, according to two people familiar with the matter. At the meeting, officials from the Defense, State and Treasury Departments will consider, among other things, proposed changes to the November directive, which has spurred confusion among investors and firms seeking to comply, five sources said. One change that is likely to be discussed is a draft amendment that would direct U.S. investors to completely divest their positions in the blacklisted companies by Nov. 11, 2021, according to two of the sources. If approved, the proposed change would dramatically broaden the scope of the directive, which now states only that U.S. investors must stop buying securities of the blacklisted companies by that date. It was not clear if any final decisions would be made at the meeting. The State and Treasury Departments did not immediately respond to requests for comment and the Defense Department declined to comment. The executive order, signed by President Donald Trump in November, is part of his bid to cement his tough-on-China legacy in the waning days of his administration. It also sought to give teeth to a 1999 law that tasked the Defense Department with drafting a list of Chinese companies it believes are owned or controlled by the Chinese military. The Defense Department has not yet provided a rationale for designating the companies. The Pentagon has so far blacklisted 35 firms, including China`s top chipmaker SMIC and oil giant CNOOC. Reuters reported that the administration was considering adding tech giants Alibaba and Tencent. A Beijing foreign ministry spokeswoman previously said China opposed U.S. efforts to suppress its companies, adding that Washington’s moves run counter to principles of market competition. The November directive spurred some index providers like MSCI to announce plans to shed some of the blacklisted companies from their indexes. But confusion over what the order requires prompted the New York Stock Exchange last Thursday to announce plans to delist three Chinese telecom companies that the Pentagon added to the blacklist. On Monday, the NYSE scrapped the move and then in a surprise twist the exchange reversed course a second time on Wednesday and vowed to continue with its bid to delist the firms. The confusion comes against a backdrop of tension among U.S. agencies about how aggressively to implement the order. Reuters and other news outlets reported that the State and Defense Departments had pushed back against the Treasury Department after it planned to issue draft guidance that was seen as watering down the order. Both U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin later wrote in tweets that there was no disagreement over the executive order.

Trump administration to mull expansion of China investment ban, report says

The US President Donald Trump faced the threat on Thursday of a second impeachment, a day after his supporters breached the U.S. Capitol in a stunning assault on American democracy as Congress was certifying President-elect Joe Biden's victory.

Trump faces calls for removal, possible impeachment after US Capitol chaos

President Donald Trump conceded for the first time on Thursday (January 7) that Joe Biden will be the next U.S. president, a day after his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol as Congress was certifying Biden's victory.

Trump acknowledges Biden victory; condemns 'heinous attack' on Capitol

After an eventful day in the US, the outgoing President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a> has now made a comeback on his favourite social media platform Twitter — merely after 12 hours of facing a ban.

Trump was banned from social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook after being accused of promoting and inciting violence through his posts.

However, this time when Trump made a comeback on Twitter condemning the rioters and the protestors who took over the Capitol creating chaos. Trump also, for the first time, openly acknowledged his rival President-elect Joe Biden's win in the recently concluded <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/us-election">US elections 2020</a>.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-condemns-capitol-hill-violence-says-rioters-defiled-seat-of-democracy-355246">Trump condemns Capitol Hill violence, says rioters defiled seat of democracy</a>

"Like all Americans, I am outraged by the violence, lawlessness and the mayhem. I immediately deploy the national guard and the federal law enforcement to secure the building and expel the intruders," he can be heard saying in the video message.

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Finally calling out the rioters, he warned that these people who infiltrated the Capitol are not a true representation of the United States of America and those who broke the law "will pay".

"We have just been through an intense election and emotions are high. But now, tempers must be cooled and calm restored. We must get on with the business of America," he requested the rioters.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/your-story-national-guardsmen-pour-into-dc-to-respond-to-capitol-hill-rioters-355243">WATCH|</a>

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He also sent out a message hinting that he has finally conceded, and requested his supporters to stop rioting and face the truth of his defeat. "My campaign rigorously to contest the election results. My only goal was to ensure the integrity of the vote. In so doing, I was fighting to defend American democracy. I continue to strongly believe that we must reform our election laws to verify the identity and eligibility of all voters and to ensure faith and confidence in future all elections," he admitted.

"<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-us-lawmakers-confirm-bidens-win-after-mayhem-on-us-capitol-355239">Now Congress has certified the results</a>. A new administration will be inaugurated on January 20th. My focus now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power. This moment calls for healing and reconciliation," he said for the first time, months after the election result&nbsp;was made clear.

He also called on to his supporters to recall the pain and loss they and their fellow citizens have been through in the pandemic year of 2020 and now come together as one nation.&nbsp;

"Serving as your president has been the honour of my lifetime," he said, thanking his supporters for standing by him all through the election drama. "And to all of my wonderful supporters, I know you are disappointed, but I also want you to know that our incredible journey is only just beginning."

After an eventful day in the US, the outgoing President Donald Trump has now made a comeback on his favourite social media platform Twitter — merely after 12 hours of facing a ban.

After an eventful day in the US, the outgoing President Donald Trump has now made a comeback on his favourite social media platform Twitter — merely after 12 hours of facing a ban. Trump was banned from social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook after being accused of promoting and inciting violence through his posts. However, this time when Trump made a comeback on Twitter condemning the rioters and the protestors who took over the Capitol creating chaos. Trump also, for the first time, openly acknowledged his rival President-elect Joe Biden's win in the recently concluded US elections 2020. Also read| Trump condemns Capitol Hill violence, says rioters defiled seat of democracy "Like all Americans, I am outraged by the violence, lawlessness and the mayhem. I immediately deploy the national guard and the federal law enforcement to secure the building and expel the intruders," he can be heard saying in the video message. pic.twitter.com/csX07ZVWGe — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2021 × Finally calling out the rioters, he warned that these people who infiltrated the Capitol are not a true representation of the United States of America and those who broke the law "will pay". "We have just been through an intense election and emotions are high. But now, tempers must be cooled and calm restored. We must get on with the business of America," he requested the rioters. WATCH| × He also sent out a message hinting that he has finally conceded, and requested his supporters to stop rioting and face the truth of his defeat. "My campaign rigorously to contest the election results. My only goal was to ensure the integrity of the vote. In so doing, I was fighting to defend American democracy. I continue to strongly believe that we must reform our election laws to verify the identity and eligibility of all voters and to ensure faith and confidence in future all elections," he admitted. "Now Congress has certified the results. A new administration will be inaugurated on January 20th. My focus now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power. This moment calls for healing and reconciliation," he said for the first time, months after the election result was made clear. He also called on to his supporters to recall the pain and loss they and their fellow citizens have been through in the pandemic year of 2020 and now come together as one nation. "Serving as your president has been the honour of my lifetime," he said, thanking his supporters for standing by him all through the election drama. "And to all of my wonderful supporters, I know you are disappointed, but I also want you to know that our incredible journey is only just beginning."

After various bans, Donald Trump makes a comeback on Twitter

Supporters of President Donald Trump who stormed the U.S. Capitol, breaking windows and stealing things, could face charges including sedition, insurrection and rioting, Washington, D.C.'s top federal prosecutor said on Thursday.

Trump supporters who stormed US Capitol could face sedition charges

A new video posted none other than Donald Trump Jr shows his father and US President Donald Trump 'partying' just hours before the Capitol Hill violence. Meanwhile, 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi has been has been handed a 15-year sentence by a court in Pakistan. In other news, Bangladesh has demanded apology from Pakistan for 1971 genocide. Read this and much more in our Top 10 world News

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/video-donald-trump-was-partying-just-hours-before-capitol-hill-violence-355417">Video: Donald Trump was 'partying' just hours before Capitol Hill violence</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/video-donald-trump-was-partying-just-hours-before-capitol-hill-violence-355417"><img alt="Trump" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ad17bf3c-d531-4559-a4a0-73eeaa52ebbb" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Trump_9.JPG" /></a> 
 
The video has been posted by none other than Donald Trump Jr. and has since gone viral as many people are sharing it online

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/mumbai-terror-attack-mastermind-zaki-ur-rehman-lakhvi-sentenced-by-pakistan-court-for-15-years-355381">Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi sentenced by Pakistan court for 15 years</a>

<img alt="Lakhvi" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1e95639e-7bd0-4ea6-87f1-b1d765320e6f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Lakhvi.JPG" />

LeT commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi was the mastermind behind the 26/11 attacks that claimed 166 lives and injured 300 others after coordinated shootouts and bombings.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iranian-supreme-leader-announces-ban-of-covid-19-vaccines-from-us-uk-355450">Iranian Supreme Leader announces ban of Covid-19 vaccines from US, UK</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iranian-supreme-leader-announces-ban-of-covid-19-vaccines-from-us-uk-355450"><img alt="Iran" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="25807863-795a-4326-949d-d0fab45c5dc5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Iran_7.JPG" /></a> 
 
Iran is the worst-affected hit country by the pandemic in the Middle East and the first cases emerged in February 2020

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/a-year-after-wuhan-outbreak-two-chinese-cities-placed-under-lockdown-355423">A year after Wuhan outbreak, two Chinese cities placed under lockdown</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/a-year-after-wuhan-outbreak-two-chinese-cities-placed-under-lockdown-355423"><img alt="Wuhan" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="be96fce3-38cf-4220-ac18-aef32f9ed40c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Wuhan.JPG" /></a> 
 
Hebei province in northern China in the last week saw 17 new coronavirus infections and 183 asymptomatic cases

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-demands-apology-from-pakistan-for-1971-genocide-355406">Bangladesh demands apology from Pakistan for 1971 genocide</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-demands-apology-from-pakistan-for-1971-genocide-355406"><img alt="Bangladesh" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="20d2a69e-e2b5-401d-8297-174c9922f621" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Bangladesh_0.JPG" /></a> 
 
The development comes in the year in which Bangladesh celebrates 50 years of Independence

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/moderna-covid-vaccine-gets-approval-in-uk-355443">Moderna COVID vaccine gets approval in UK</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/moderna-covid-vaccine-gets-approval-in-uk-355443"><img alt="Moderna" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4c853e67-233c-4c58-b3d9-70b538bf0513" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/moderna.JPG" /></a> 
 
UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock welcomed the development and said that the approval was another shot in the arm for UK's vaccination programme

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/youtube-removes-thousands-of-videos-posted-from-donald-trumps-channel-355435">YouTube removes thousands of videos posted from Donald Trump's channel</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/youtube-removes-thousands-of-videos-posted-from-donald-trumps-channel-355435"><img alt="Trump" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="47696509-ef78-4396-875e-ecafd6508eca" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Trump%20Youtube.JPG" /></a> 
 
Following the violence and ruckus seen at the US Capitol, earlier social media giants Twitter and Facebook on Thursday suspended Trump's accounts

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/dont-blackmail-me-pm-imran-khan-to-hazara-protesters-355412">Don't blackmail me: PM Imran Khan to Hazara protesters</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/dont-blackmail-me-pm-imran-khan-to-hazara-protesters-355412"><img alt="Imran Khan" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c92f0870-dcf1-4f87-8ffc-27fd983cb77a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Imran%20Khan_2.JPG" /></a> 
 
Imran Khan said that the government has accepted all the demands of the minority community, except one that the prime minister must visit before the dead are buried

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-presidency-set-for-an-ugly-ending-says-former-italian-premier-silvio-berlusconi-355427">Trump presidency set for an 'ugly ending', says former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-presidency-set-for-an-ugly-ending-says-former-italian-premier-silvio-berlusconi-355427"><img alt="Berlusconi" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="92c257c7-7c29-45ac-a6bd-863b223c334a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Silvio%20Berlusconi.JPG" /></a> 
 
The Italian said "it would be unjust and uncharitable" to deny Trump's achievements as US President, notably on the economy and on foreign policy.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amazon-rainforest-will-vanish-by-2064-new-study-predicts-355322">Amazon rainforest will vanish by 2064, new study predicts</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amazon-rainforest-will-vanish-by-2064-new-study-predicts-355322"><img alt="Amazon" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4612b78b-3c59-4ca4-8e39-68b3d538e4fb" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Amazon.JPG" /></a> 
 
World’s largest tropical rainforest, Amazon rainforest will vanish by 2064 due to alarming levels of deforestation and droughts occurring in the region from the climate change.

A new video posted none other than Donald Trump Jr shows his father and US President Donald Trump 'partying' just hours before the Capitol Hill violence. Meanwhile, 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi has been has been handed a 15-year sentence by a court in Pakistan.

A new video posted none other than Donald Trump Jr shows his father and US President Donald Trump 'partying' just hours before the Capitol Hill violence. Meanwhile, 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi has been has been handed a 15-year sentence by a court in Pakistan. In other news, Bangladesh has demanded apology from Pakistan for 1971 genocide. Read this and much more in our Top 10 world News Video: Donald Trump was 'partying' just hours before Capitol Hill violence The video has been posted by none other than Donald Trump Jr. and has since gone viral as many people are sharing it online Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi sentenced by Pakistan court for 15 years LeT commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi was the mastermind behind the 26/11 attacks that claimed 166 lives and injured 300 others after coordinated shootouts and bombings. Iranian Supreme Leader announces ban of Covid-19 vaccines from US, UK Iran is the worst-affected hit country by the pandemic in the Middle East and the first cases emerged in February 2020 A year after Wuhan outbreak, two Chinese cities placed under lockdown Hebei province in northern China in the last week saw 17 new coronavirus infections and 183 asymptomatic cases Bangladesh demands apology from Pakistan for 1971 genocide The development comes in the year in which Bangladesh celebrates 50 years of Independence Moderna COVID vaccine gets approval in UK UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock welcomed the development and said that the approval was another shot in the arm for UK's vaccination programme YouTube removes thousands of videos posted from Donald Trump's channel Following the violence and ruckus seen at the US Capitol, earlier social media giants Twitter and Facebook on Thursday suspended Trump's accounts Don't blackmail me: PM Imran Khan to Hazara protesters Imran Khan said that the government has accepted all the demands of the minority community, except one that the prime minister must visit before the dead are buried Trump presidency set for an 'ugly ending', says former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi The Italian said "it would be unjust and uncharitable" to deny Trump's achievements as US President, notably on the economy and on foreign policy. Amazon rainforest will vanish by 2064, new study predicts World’s largest tropical rainforest, Amazon rainforest will vanish by 2064 due to alarming levels of deforestation and droughts occurring in the region from the climate change.

Top 10 world news: Trump 'parties' before Capitol siege, Lakhvi sentenced, and more

US President Donald Trump is facing a lot of flak after Capitol Hill violence but a new video has surfaced that will potentially bring more criticism his way. It is being reported&nbsp;now that Trump and his family were 'partying'&nbsp;just hours before his supporters laid siege to Capitol Building.

The video has been posted by none other than Donald Trump Jr. and has since gone viral as many people are sharing it online.&nbsp;

The video was posted by Trump Jr at 11:04 pm Indian Time on January 6, this means that it was around 12:30 pm in Washington on January 6. Donald Trump addressed his supporters shortly after. The Capitol Hill violence began in earnest at 1:30 pm local time.

Donald Trump Jr has taken down this&nbsp;video from his Facebook page now.

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Trump, Donald Jr, Kimberly Guilfoyle and others watching the crowd getting fired up hours before they stormed the Capitol, and dancing in enjoyment while the song Gloria is playing. Seems premeditated, no? <a href="https://t.co/E6tHufOjiN">pic.twitter.com/E6tHufOjiN</a>
— Amy Siskind 🏳️‍🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) <a href="https://twitter.com/Amy_Siskind/status/1347303958679875589?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The violence at the Capitol Hill and storming of the Capitol Building has left USA's image as a 'beacon of democracy' in tatters. Even US allies are unable to hide their shock and authoritarian regimes across the world have happily taken potshots at America.

Normally, a state-backed gang rampage in legislature for the demand of lost election to be nullified would have had&nbsp;US diplomats marching to their laptops to draft a statement of condemnation. But after the Capitol HIll violence, US has found itself at the receiving end on the world stage.

Capitol Hill violence has also become a PR disaster for Donald Trump. He was criticised for not making an appeal for calm early enough. It was only after President-elect Joe Biden appeared on television did Trump tweet a recorded video message appealing for calm.

But even in that video, Trump said that he loved&nbsp;the protesters and they were special

US President Donald Trump is facing a lot of flak after Capitol Hill violence but a new video has surfaced that will potentially bring more criticism his way. It is being reported now that Trump and his family were 'partying' just hours before his supporters laid siege to Capitol Building.

US President Donald Trump is facing a lot of flak after Capitol Hill violence but a new video has surfaced that will potentially bring more criticism his way. It is being reported now that Trump and his family were 'partying' just hours before his supporters laid siege to Capitol Building. The video has been posted by none other than Donald Trump Jr. and has since gone viral as many people are sharing it online. The video was posted by Trump Jr at 11:04 pm Indian Time on January 6, this means that it was around 12:30 pm in Washington on January 6. Donald Trump addressed his supporters shortly after. The Capitol Hill violence began in earnest at 1:30 pm local time. Donald Trump Jr has taken down this video from his Facebook page now. Trump, Donald Jr, Kimberly Guilfoyle and others watching the crowd getting fired up hours before they stormed the Capitol, and dancing in enjoyment while the song Gloria is playing. Seems premeditated, no? pic.twitter.com/E6tHufOjiN — Amy Siskind 🏳️‍🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) January 7, 2021 × The violence at the Capitol Hill and storming of the Capitol Building has left USA's image as a 'beacon of democracy' in tatters. Even US allies are unable to hide their shock and authoritarian regimes across the world have happily taken potshots at America. Normally, a state-backed gang rampage in legislature for the demand of lost election to be nullified would have had US diplomats marching to their laptops to draft a statement of condemnation. But after the Capitol HIll violence, US has found itself at the receiving end on the world stage. Capitol Hill violence has also become a PR disaster for Donald Trump. He was criticised for not making an appeal for calm early enough. It was only after President-elect Joe Biden appeared on television did Trump tweet a recorded video message appealing for calm. But even in that video, Trump said that he loved the protesters and they were special

Video: Donald Trump was 'partying' just hours before Capitol Hill violence

US President Donald Trump has -- for the first time -- openly acknowledged&nbsp;that Joe Biden will be the next president. This came a day after his supporters stormed the US Capitol in a stunning assault on American democracy as Congress was certifying Biden's victory.

Trump, who as recently as Thursday morning had continued to claim falsely that the election had been stolen from him, said his focus would now turn to ensuring a smooth transition to a Biden administration in a video released in the evening.&nbsp;

In the video, the president can be seen condemning Wednesday's violence, saying rioters had defiled the seat of American democracy.

"Serving as your president has been the honour of my lifetime," Trump, a Republican, said.&nbsp;

"And to all of my wonderful supporters, I know you are disappointed, but I also want you to know that our incredible journey is only just beginning."

The statement was a stark reversal for Trump, who faced growing calls for his resignation or ouster following Wednesday's assault. Trump has spent months insisting he prevailed in the November 3 election due to widespread fraud, despite no evidence.

His exhortation on Wednesday to thousands of supporters that they march to the Capitol to protest the election results whipped up a mob that overran police officers and invaded the Capitol building, forcing members of Congress into hiding for their own safety.

To this end, the threat of a second impeachment loomed over Trump.

The 25th Amendment allows a majority of the Cabinet to remove a president from power if he is unable to discharge the duties of the office.

But Vice-President Mike Pence, who would have to lead any such effort, was opposed to using the amendment to oust Trump from the White House.

If Pence fails to act, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi signalled she would likely reconvene the House to initiate impeachment proceedings against Trump for his role in Wednesday's violence, which claimed five lives, including that of a Capitol Police officer, whose death was confirmed on Twitter by US Representative Dean Phillips.

Earlier in the wee hours of Thursday, Trump hinted at a potential 2024 run.

"Even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless there will be an orderly transition on January 20th," Trump said in a statement minutes after the US Congress formally certified Biden's victory.

"While this represents the end of the greatest first term in presidential history, it's only the beginning of our fight to Make America Great Again," he added.

The presidential election was held on November 3. Biden and Harris won a record number of popular votes, more than 80 million and earned as many as 306 Electoral College votes.

Biden and Harris are now scheduled to be sworn in as the president and vice-president of the country on January 20. The inauguration is going to be a low-key affair given the COVID-19 pandemic.

US President Donald Trump has -- for the first time -- openly acknowledged that Joe Biden will be the next president. This came a day after his supporters stormed the US Capitol in a stunning assault on American democracy as Congress was certifying Biden's victory.

US President Donald Trump has -- for the first time -- openly acknowledged that Joe Biden will be the next president. This came a day after his supporters stormed the US Capitol in a stunning assault on American democracy as Congress was certifying Biden's victory. Trump, who as recently as Thursday morning had continued to claim falsely that the election had been stolen from him, said his focus would now turn to ensuring a smooth transition to a Biden administration in a video released in the evening. In the video, the president can be seen condemning Wednesday's violence, saying rioters had defiled the seat of American democracy. "Serving as your president has been the honour of my lifetime," Trump, a Republican, said. "And to all of my wonderful supporters, I know you are disappointed, but I also want you to know that our incredible journey is only just beginning." The statement was a stark reversal for Trump, who faced growing calls for his resignation or ouster following Wednesday's assault. Trump has spent months insisting he prevailed in the November 3 election due to widespread fraud, despite no evidence. His exhortation on Wednesday to thousands of supporters that they march to the Capitol to protest the election results whipped up a mob that overran police officers and invaded the Capitol building, forcing members of Congress into hiding for their own safety. To this end, the threat of a second impeachment loomed over Trump. The 25th Amendment allows a majority of the Cabinet to remove a president from power if he is unable to discharge the duties of the office. But Vice-President Mike Pence, who would have to lead any such effort, was opposed to using the amendment to oust Trump from the White House. If Pence fails to act, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi signalled she would likely reconvene the House to initiate impeachment proceedings against Trump for his role in Wednesday's violence, which claimed five lives, including that of a Capitol Police officer, whose death was confirmed on Twitter by US Representative Dean Phillips. Earlier in the wee hours of Thursday, Trump hinted at a potential 2024 run. "Even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless there will be an orderly transition on January 20th," Trump said in a statement minutes after the US Congress formally certified Biden's victory. "While this represents the end of the greatest first term in presidential history, it's only the beginning of our fight to Make America Great Again," he added. The presidential election was held on November 3. Biden and Harris won a record number of popular votes, more than 80 million and earned as many as 306 Electoral College votes. Biden and Harris are now scheduled to be sworn in as the president and vice-president of the country on January 20. The inauguration is going to be a low-key affair given the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trump condemns Capitol Hill violence, says rioters defiled seat of democracy

President-elect Joe Biden tweeted Thursday that the rioters who stormed the Capitol Wednesday would have been treated “very differently” than Black Lives Matter protesters, who have been demonstrating widely since the May police killing of George Floyd. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-capitol-siege-sends-shockwaves-across-the-world-heres-a-timeline-of-how-it-unfolded-355224">Also read | As Capitol siege sends shockwaves across the world, here's a timeline of how it unfolded</a>

“No one can tell me that if it had been a group of Black Lives Matter protestors yesterday that they wouldn’t have been treated very differently than the mob that stormed the Capitol,” Biden tweeted. “We all know that’s true — and it’s unacceptable.”

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No one can tell me that if it had been a group of Black Lives Matter protestors yesterday that they wouldn’t have been treated very differently than the mob that stormed the Capitol. 
 
We all know that’s true — and it’s unacceptable.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1347298213422747649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
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On Wednesday, Biden denounced the rioters who incited violence at the Capitol and called for the restoration of “just simple decency.”

“At this hour our democracy is under unprecedented assault unlike anything we’ve seen in modern times,” Biden said, adding that what unfolded was, “an assault on the rule of law like few times we have ever seen it.”

He said the uprising bordered on sedition, adding, “The scenes of chaos at the Capitol do not reflect a true America, do not represent who we are.” 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

President-elect Joe Biden tweeted Thursday that the rioters who stormed the Capitol Wednesday would have been treated “very differently” than Black Lives Matter protesters, who have been demonstrating widely since the May police killing of George Floyd.

President-elect Joe Biden tweeted Thursday that the rioters who stormed the Capitol Wednesday would have been treated “very differently” than Black Lives Matter protesters, who have been demonstrating widely since the May police killing of George Floyd. Also read | As Capitol siege sends shockwaves across the world, here's a timeline of how it unfolded “No one can tell me that if it had been a group of Black Lives Matter protestors yesterday that they wouldn’t have been treated very differently than the mob that stormed the Capitol,” Biden tweeted. “We all know that’s true — and it’s unacceptable.” No one can tell me that if it had been a group of Black Lives Matter protestors yesterday that they wouldn’t have been treated very differently than the mob that stormed the Capitol. We all know that’s true — and it’s unacceptable. — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) January 7, 2021 × On Wednesday, Biden denounced the rioters who incited violence at the Capitol and called for the restoration of “just simple decency.” “At this hour our democracy is under unprecedented assault unlike anything we’ve seen in modern times,” Biden said, adding that what unfolded was, “an assault on the rule of law like few times we have ever seen it.” He said the uprising bordered on sedition, adding, “The scenes of chaos at the Capitol do not reflect a true America, do not represent who we are.” (With inputs from agencies)

'Black Lives Matter' protestors would have been treated differently: Biden on police response during Capitol seize

YouTube has removed many videos posted by US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump </a>on his channel which spread misinformation over election fraud and warned that in the wake of violence in the US Capitol any account sharing three videos with false claims that are uploaded within 90 days will be permanently removed.&nbsp;

"Over the last month, we've removed thousands of videos which spread misinformation claiming widespread voter fraud changed the result of the 2020 election, including several videos that President Trump posted on Wednesday to his channel," Google in a statement said.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/twitter-blocks-donald-trumps-account-threatens-permanent-ban-over-inciting-violence-355046/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Due to the disturbing events that transpired on Wednesday, and given that the election results have been certified, any channel posting new videos with these false claims in violation of our policies will now receive a strike, a penalty which temporarily restricts uploading or live-streaming."&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-presidency-set-for-an-ugly-ending-says-former-italian-premier-silvio-berlusconi-355427">Trump presidency set for an 'ugly ending', says former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi</a>

"Channels that receive three strikes in the same 90-day period will be permanently removed from YouTube."

Following the violence and ruckus seen at the US Capitol, earlier social media giants Twitter and Facebook on Thursday suspended Trump's accounts.&nbsp;

The US president was barred from sharing any post on Facebook or its photo/ video-sharing platform Instagram service for 24 hours, saying his messages were encouraging violence.

 
&nbsp;

YouTube has removed many videos posted by US President Donald Trump on his channel which spread misinformation over election fraud and warned that in the wake of violence in the US Capitol any account sharing three videos with false claims that are uploaded within 90 days will be permanently removed.

YouTube has removed many videos posted by US President Donald Trump on his channel which spread misinformation over election fraud and warned that in the wake of violence in the US Capitol any account sharing three videos with false claims that are uploaded within 90 days will be permanently removed. "Over the last month, we've removed thousands of videos which spread misinformation claiming widespread voter fraud changed the result of the 2020 election, including several videos that President Trump posted on Wednesday to his channel," Google in a statement said. Watch | "Due to the disturbing events that transpired on Wednesday, and given that the election results have been certified, any channel posting new videos with these false claims in violation of our policies will now receive a strike, a penalty which temporarily restricts uploading or live-streaming." Also read | Trump presidency set for an 'ugly ending', says former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi "Channels that receive three strikes in the same 90-day period will be permanently removed from YouTube." Following the violence and ruckus seen at the US Capitol, earlier social media giants Twitter and Facebook on Thursday suspended Trump's accounts. The US president was barred from sharing any post on Facebook or its photo/ video-sharing platform Instagram service for 24 hours, saying his messages were encouraging violence.

YouTube removes thousands of videos posted from Donald Trump's channel

Former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi on Friday said that Donald Trump's time at the White House will have an &nbsp;"ugly ending".&nbsp;

ALSO READ-&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/video-donald-trump-was-partying-just-hours-before-capitol-hill-violence-355417" hreflang="en">Video: Donald Trump was 'partying' just hours before Capitol Hill violence</a>

The Italian said "it would be unjust and uncharitable" to deny Trump's achievements as US President, notably on the economy and on foreign policy.&nbsp;

In a letter to Italian daily Il Giornale, Berlusconi said that Monday's mob attack by his supporters on the US Capitol "overshadows those achievements and will darken the historical memory of this presidency".

The 84-year-old Italian was a real estate and media mogul who reinvented himself as a conservative politician, serving three times as prime minister in the European country and his career path is often seen as a trailblazing model for Trump's.

The mob attack on Monday killed a police officer and four protesters dead. Matteo Salvini, a leader of hard-right League party and an outspoken backer of Trump, also condemned the attack.&nbsp;

"Violence is never a solution, never. Long live Freedom and Democracy, always and everywhere," Salvini tweeted, without explicitly criticising the outgoing US leader.

(Inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi on Friday said that Donald Trump's time at the White House will have an "ugly ending". ALSO READ- Video: Donald Trump was 'partying' just hours before Capitol Hill violence The Italian said "it would be unjust and uncharitable" to deny Trump's achievements as US President, notably on the economy and on foreign policy.

Former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi on Friday said that Donald Trump's time at the White House will have an "ugly ending". ALSO READ- Video: Donald Trump was 'partying' just hours before Capitol Hill violence The Italian said "it would be unjust and uncharitable" to deny Trump's achievements as US President, notably on the economy and on foreign policy. In a letter to Italian daily Il Giornale, Berlusconi said that Monday's mob attack by his supporters on the US Capitol "overshadows those achievements and will darken the historical memory of this presidency". The 84-year-old Italian was a real estate and media mogul who reinvented himself as a conservative politician, serving three times as prime minister in the European country and his career path is often seen as a trailblazing model for Trump's. The mob attack on Monday killed a police officer and four protesters dead. Matteo Salvini, a leader of hard-right League party and an outspoken backer of Trump, also condemned the attack. "Violence is never a solution, never. Long live Freedom and Democracy, always and everywhere," Salvini tweeted, without explicitly criticising the outgoing US leader. (Inputs from agencies)

Trump presidency set for an 'ugly ending', says former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: "I believe in the strength of US institutions and democracy. Peaceful transition of power is at the core.

'Joe Biden has a daunting task ahead of him', says EU chief Ursula von der Leyen over Capitol riots

The 25th Amendment says the vice-president and a majority of principal officers of the executive departments can provide a declaration to Congress that the president “is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.” This can remove the President of the United States and will appoint Vice President to the office.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi calls for Trump's removal through 25th Amendment after Capitol Ruckus

While protesting the police killing of a Black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri, several years ago, Johnetta Elzie said she was manhandled by officers. She said they pointed rifles at Black women who were pushing toddlers in strollers and cursed at them to turn around.

Similar scenes unfolded all summer, as police officers clashed with scores of Black Lives Matter protesters. Many times, officers used batons and chemical agents to disperse crowds.

And so what Elzie saw on television Wednesday afternoon infuriated her: A mob of mostly white Donald Trump supporters stormed past police officers and vandalized the U.S. Capitol while officers, after initially offering resistance, mostly stood by. Some officers parted barricades, others held doors open and one was seen on video escorting a woman down steps.

“What a joke,” Elzie said. “I mean, they didn’t even pinch the white people. It wasn’t even like a family dispute. In a family dispute, you might at least hit your sister or something like that. This wasn’t even that. It was almost like tear gas was not readily available.”

Black Lives Matter activists across the country expressed outrage Thursday at what they said was a tepid response from law enforcement officers to mostly white protesters, saying it stood in stark contrast to the aggressive tactics they have endured for years — officers in full riot gear who have used tear gas, rubber bullets and batons. It also underscored the country’s uneven system of justice, many said, and lent credence to their insistence that Black people are devalued and viewed as inherently dangerous.

In a national address Thursday afternoon, President-elect Joe Biden acknowledged the seemingly disparate treatment, saying he had received a text message from his granddaughter who questioned the police response at the Capitol.

“She said, ‘Pop, this isn’t fair. No one can tell me that if it had been a group of Black Lives Matter protesting yesterday, they wouldn’t have been treated very, very differently than the mob of thugs that stormed the Capitol,’” he said, adding, “We all know that’s true. And it is unacceptable. Totally unacceptable.”

Officials with the Capitol Police, a federal law enforcement agency responsible for securing the Capitol building, have defended Wednesday’s response, saying the officers were underprepared and overwhelmed by the pro-Trump mob.

Joel Shults, a former police chief of Adams State University in Colorado, said “the right balance of quelling a disturbance versus allowing the disorder to continue” was a difficult calculation for law enforcement to make. Every case presents its unique challenges, he said, adding that a lack of information and the location of Wednesday’s riot might have influenced the police’s response — and not the race of the largely white crowd that stormed the building.

“To have a lot of citizen-police violence on the steps of the Capitol,” he said, “I think it was really important that that not happen.”

Black activists noted that when they have planned protests, the police have rarely seemed ill-prepared. This week, for instance, National Guard troops descended on Kenosha, Wisconsin, and metal barricades were erected around that city’s courthouse the day before a prosecutor announced that no charges would be filed against an officer who shot a man, Jacob Blake, multiple times in the back last summer.

Last summer, a peaceful violin vigil in Aurora, Colorado, to memorialize a Black man who died during a police arrest was disrupted when officers in riot gear charged the park and dispersed pepper spray, sending families with children fleeing. Police argued that there was a small group of agitators among the crowd, a contention disputed by many in attendance, who had been sitting on the lawn listening to people play the violin when police descended.

And the day after the presidential election in November, hundreds of activists marched through the streets of Minneapolis, advocating for an end to police brutality. The group, which was spirited but peaceful and included parents with children, eventually marched onto an interstate. The plan was to walk to the next exit, something that should have only taken about 15 minutes, said Sam Martinez, one of the organizers.

Instead, the state police surrounded the group while on the highway and demanded that everyone sit down to be arrested. Local elected officials frantically tried to negotiate with authorities to let the demonstrators leave the highway, to no avail.

Police, saying that the demonstrators violated the law and endangered public safety by entering the highway, either arrested or cited and released nearly 650 protesters. The process took about five hours. Most were given misdemeanor charges, but a 19-year-old woman received felony riot charges for shining a laser pointer into the eyes of a police officer.

“It’s a glaring example of how unjust this system really is,” said Martinez, noting the disparity between the hundreds of arrests on the highway versus the handful of arrests at the Capitol. “If that had been us, there would have been way more than one casualty.”

The highway protest in Minneapolis came months after city police officers killed George Floyd, sparking widespread protests and calls for an end to systemic racism. Amid chaotic demonstrations in the days following the killing, police retreated from a police precinct headquarters, allowing protesters to descend on it and burn it down.

But even that was not comparable to what unfolded at the Capitol on Wednesday, said Jeremiah Ellison, a Minneapolis city councilman. In the days preceding the burning of the precinct, police had been firing rubber bullets and tear gas at protesters in what Ellison said he believed was an overreaction at times.

The police at the Capitol did not show that same hostility toward the demonstrators there, he said.

“I think the police will view a leftist protester with a gas mask as more dangerous than a right-wing protester with a semi-automatic rifle,” Ellison said.

Activists who protest the police say they believe they are targeted because of their criticism of law enforcement.

In a federal lawsuit against the city of St. Louis, a judge wrote in a 2017 ruling on a preliminary injunction that the plaintiffs were likely to prevail on their claim that the Police Department “has a custom or policy of using chemical agents without warning on citizens” criticizing the police.

The lawsuit centers on the arrest of more than 120 people in 2017 during a protest of the acquittal of a white officer who killed a Black man in St. Louis. Earlier that evening, some protesters had broken windows and knocked over large flower pots downtown. Police declared an unlawful assembly and ordered people to leave.

Hours later, there were still dozens of people peacefully milling about a downtown street corner that was a few blocks from where police had told the crowd to leave. Officers eventually moved in and arrested everyone who was still out — sweeping up members of the Air Force who happened to be in the area and at least one journalist in the process.

Video of the mass arrest showed one officer firing pepper spray at the people being arrested, “who all appear to be on the ground and complying with police commands,” Judge Catherine Perry of U.S. District Court wrote in her injunction.

Javad Khazaeli, a lawyer representing several of the plaintiffs, said that even though his clients were peaceful, “The police made the choice to use violence.”

But the Capitol Police on Wednesday “made the choice” not to, he said. “It couldn’t be a more perfect example for everybody to see the two different criminal justice systems we have in America.”

While protesting the police killing of a Black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri, several years ago, Johnetta Elzie said she was manhandled by officers. She said they pointed rifles at Black women who were pushing toddlers in strollers and cursed at them to turn around.

While protesting the police killing of a Black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri, several years ago, Johnetta Elzie said she was manhandled by officers. She said they pointed rifles at Black women who were pushing toddlers in strollers and cursed at them to turn around. Similar scenes unfolded all summer, as police officers clashed with scores of Black Lives Matter protesters. Many times, officers used batons and chemical agents to disperse crowds. And so what Elzie saw on television Wednesday afternoon infuriated her: A mob of mostly white Donald Trump supporters stormed past police officers and vandalized the U.S. Capitol while officers, after initially offering resistance, mostly stood by. Some officers parted barricades, others held doors open and one was seen on video escorting a woman down steps. “What a joke,” Elzie said. “I mean, they didn’t even pinch the white people. It wasn’t even like a family dispute. In a family dispute, you might at least hit your sister or something like that. This wasn’t even that. It was almost like tear gas was not readily available.” Black Lives Matter activists across the country expressed outrage Thursday at what they said was a tepid response from law enforcement officers to mostly white protesters, saying it stood in stark contrast to the aggressive tactics they have endured for years — officers in full riot gear who have used tear gas, rubber bullets and batons. It also underscored the country’s uneven system of justice, many said, and lent credence to their insistence that Black people are devalued and viewed as inherently dangerous. In a national address Thursday afternoon, President-elect Joe Biden acknowledged the seemingly disparate treatment, saying he had received a text message from his granddaughter who questioned the police response at the Capitol. “She said, ‘Pop, this isn’t fair. No one can tell me that if it had been a group of Black Lives Matter protesting yesterday, they wouldn’t have been treated very, very differently than the mob of thugs that stormed the Capitol,’” he said, adding, “We all know that’s true. And it is unacceptable. Totally unacceptable.” Officials with the Capitol Police, a federal law enforcement agency responsible for securing the Capitol building, have defended Wednesday’s response, saying the officers were underprepared and overwhelmed by the pro-Trump mob. Joel Shults, a former police chief of Adams State University in Colorado, said “the right balance of quelling a disturbance versus allowing the disorder to continue” was a difficult calculation for law enforcement to make. Every case presents its unique challenges, he said, adding that a lack of information and the location of Wednesday’s riot might have influenced the police’s response — and not the race of the largely white crowd that stormed the building. “To have a lot of citizen-police violence on the steps of the Capitol,” he said, “I think it was really important that that not happen.” Black activists noted that when they have planned protests, the police have rarely seemed ill-prepared. This week, for instance, National Guard troops descended on Kenosha, Wisconsin, and metal barricades were erected around that city’s courthouse the day before a prosecutor announced that no charges would be filed against an officer who shot a man, Jacob Blake, multiple times in the back last summer. Last summer, a peaceful violin vigil in Aurora, Colorado, to memorialize a Black man who died during a police arrest was disrupted when officers in riot gear charged the park and dispersed pepper spray, sending families with children fleeing. Police argued that there was a small group of agitators among the crowd, a contention disputed by many in attendance, who had been sitting on the lawn listening to people play the violin when police descended. And the day after the presidential election in November, hundreds of activists marched through the streets of Minneapolis, advocating for an end to police brutality. The group, which was spirited but peaceful and included parents with children, eventually marched onto an interstate. The plan was to walk to the next exit, something that should have only taken about 15 minutes, said Sam Martinez, one of the organizers. Instead, the state police surrounded the group while on the highway and demanded that everyone sit down to be arrested. Local elected officials frantically tried to negotiate with authorities to let the demonstrators leave the highway, to no avail. Police, saying that the demonstrators violated the law and endangered public safety by entering the highway, either arrested or cited and released nearly 650 protesters. The process took about five hours. Most were given misdemeanor charges, but a 19-year-old woman received felony riot charges for shining a laser pointer into the eyes of a police officer. “It’s a glaring example of how unjust this system really is,” said Martinez, noting the disparity between the hundreds of arrests on the highway versus the handful of arrests at the Capitol. “If that had been us, there would have been way more than one casualty.” The highway protest in Minneapolis came months after city police officers killed George Floyd, sparking widespread protests and calls for an end to systemic racism. Amid chaotic demonstrations in the days following the killing, police retreated from a police precinct headquarters, allowing protesters to descend on it and burn it down. But even that was not comparable to what unfolded at the Capitol on Wednesday, said Jeremiah Ellison, a Minneapolis city councilman. In the days preceding the burning of the precinct, police had been firing rubber bullets and tear gas at protesters in what Ellison said he believed was an overreaction at times. The police at the Capitol did not show that same hostility toward the demonstrators there, he said. “I think the police will view a leftist protester with a gas mask as more dangerous than a right-wing protester with a semi-automatic rifle,” Ellison said. Activists who protest the police say they believe they are targeted because of their criticism of law enforcement. In a federal lawsuit against the city of St. Louis, a judge wrote in a 2017 ruling on a preliminary injunction that the plaintiffs were likely to prevail on their claim that the Police Department “has a custom or policy of using chemical agents without warning on citizens” criticizing the police. The lawsuit centers on the arrest of more than 120 people in 2017 during a protest of the acquittal of a white officer who killed a Black man in St. Louis. Earlier that evening, some protesters had broken windows and knocked over large flower pots downtown. Police declared an unlawful assembly and ordered people to leave. Hours later, there were still dozens of people peacefully milling about a downtown street corner that was a few blocks from where police had told the crowd to leave. Officers eventually moved in and arrested everyone who was still out — sweeping up members of the Air Force who happened to be in the area and at least one journalist in the process. Video of the mass arrest showed one officer firing pepper spray at the people being arrested, “who all appear to be on the ground and complying with police commands,” Judge Catherine Perry of U.S. District Court wrote in her injunction. Javad Khazaeli, a lawyer representing several of the plaintiffs, said that even though his clients were peaceful, “The police made the choice to use violence.” But the Capitol Police on Wednesday “made the choice” not to, he said. “It couldn’t be a more perfect example for everybody to see the two different criminal justice systems we have in America.”

Black Lives Matter activists note contrast in police response at Capitol

The mob that stormed the Capitol Wednesday did not just threaten the heart of American democracy. To scientists who watched in dismay as the scenes unfolded on television, the throngs of unmasked intruders who wandered through hallways and into private offices may also have transformed the riot into a superspreader event.

The coronavirus thrives indoors, particularly in crowded spaces, lingering in the air in tiny particles called aerosols. If even a few people were infected — likely, given the current rates of spread and the crowd size — then the virus would have had the ideal opportunity to find new victims, experts said.

“It has all the elements of what we warn people about,” said Anne Rimoin, a public health researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles. “People yelling and screaming, chanting, exerting themselves — all of those things provide opportunity for the virus to spread, and this virus takes those opportunities.”

President Donald Trump has downplayed the pandemic almost since its beginning, and many of his supporters who entered the Capitol on Wednesday did not appear to be wearing masks or making any effort at social distancing. Under similar conditions, gatherings held in such close quarters have led to fast-spreading clusters of infection.

But transmission of the virus has always been difficult to track. There is little effective contact tracing in the United States, and many in the crowd at the Capitol arrived from communities far from Washington.

The Black Lives Matter protests in the summer raised similar concerns. But most were held outdoors, and greater numbers of participants seemed to be masked. Research afterward suggested these were not superspreading events.

Attendees of the rally preceding the rush to the Capitol on Wednesday also stood outdoors close together for hours, but “I’m less worried about what was happening outdoors,” Rimoin said. “The risk increases exponentially indoors.”

Hundreds of rioters shouting in crowded rooms and hallways for extended periods of time can infect dozens of people at once, she and other experts said.

Three distinct groups — Capitol Police, rioters and members of Congress — “were spending time indoors, without social distancing, for long periods of time,” said Dr. Joshua Barocas, an infectious diseases physician at Boston University. The melee likely was a superspreader event, he added, “especially given the backdrop of the highly transmissible variants that are circulating.”

Barocas was referring to a highly contagious new variant of the coronavirus, first identified in Britain. Cases have been reported in several U.S. states, and the variant may well have spread everywhere in the country, making events like the Capitol riot even more risky, he said.

The idea that members of Congress may have been exposed, amid an already difficult transfer of power, particularly disturbed some scientists. “I am worried not only that it could it could lead to superspreading, but also superspreading to people who are elected officials,” said Dr. Tom Ingelsby, director of the Center for Health Security at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.

And infected members of Congress and law enforcement could have spread the virus to one another as they sheltered from the violence, he noted.

Rep. Jake LaTurner, R-Kan., announced on Twitter early Thursday morning that he had tested positive for the virus. LaTurner was cloistered in the chamber with other members of Congress for much of the day.

At least a dozen of the 400 or so lawmakers and staff who were huddling in one committee room refused to wear masks even after being offered one, or wore them improperly below their chins, said Rep. Susan Wild, D-Pa.

They gathered in a committee room that quickly became crowded, making social distancing impossible, she said. Some of the lawmakers were unmasked, and several were shouting. “Tensions were high, and people were yelling at each other,” Wild said.

“I just started getting really kind of angry, thinking about the holidays just passed, and how so many people did not spend time with their immediate families for fear of spreading,” she added, referring to her unmasked colleagues.

Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., said the environment made her so nervous she sat on the floor at one point, hoping to duck whatever virus might be floating about. She has asked experts whether the lawmakers present should now quarantine, she said. She was wearing two masks, as she often does.

“I get that they think they have their individual freedoms,” she said of Republican lawmakers who eschewed masks. “It’s a rule for a reason. It’s to protect the common good.”

The risk for members of Congress will depend greatly on ventilation in the room where they sheltered, said Joseph Allen, an expert on buildings quality at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.

“If there is a well-designed secure facility, then it would have great ventilation and filtration,” Allen said. “If it’s a place where they were just hunkered down wherever they could go that was safe, and it was not a place that was designed like that, then we don’t really know.”

It’s natural in a heart-pounding crisis to disregard risks that seem intangible or theoretical, he and other scientists noted.

“You cannot keep distance if you’re trying to leave a very intense and dangerous situation,” said Seema Lakdawala, an expert in respiratory virus transmission at the University of Pittsburgh. “You’re weighing the risk of your life over the risk of getting a virus at that moment.”

Members of Congress returned to continue the electoral count after the rioters were cleared from the Capitol. Some legislators took off their masks before giving a speech, Barocas noted, at precisely the time they needed to wear them. Talking at a high volume can expel vast quantities of aerosols, propelling them through an enclosed space.

Scientists have documented infectious aerosols suspended in air nearly 20 feet from an infected person. And a recent study from South Korea found that two people had become infected after spending just five minutes in a restaurant, 15 feet away from an infected patron.

Many Americans breathed sighs of relief as rioters departed the Capitol. Some experts feared that rioters heading back home could set off new chains of infection, perhaps impossible to track.

“We might get an inkling into how bad it might be because of the federal employees,” Barocas said. But “I don’t think that we’re going to know the extent of this superspreader event.”

Even as the mob stormed the Capitol on Wednesday, the pandemic marked a grim milestone: The virus claimed nearly 4,000 lives, the highest daily toll thus far. The numbers are expected to keep rising.

The president has “created a culture in which people think it’s a hoax, and these basic control measures are being flouted repeatedly everywhere,” Allen said.

The mob that stormed the Capitol Wednesday did not just threaten the heart of American democracy. To scientists who watched in dismay as the scenes unfolded on television, the throngs of unmasked intruders who wandered through hallways and into private offices may also have transformed the riot into a superspreader event.

The mob that stormed the Capitol Wednesday did not just threaten the heart of American democracy. To scientists who watched in dismay as the scenes unfolded on television, the throngs of unmasked intruders who wandered through hallways and into private offices may also have transformed the riot into a superspreader event. The coronavirus thrives indoors, particularly in crowded spaces, lingering in the air in tiny particles called aerosols. If even a few people were infected — likely, given the current rates of spread and the crowd size — then the virus would have had the ideal opportunity to find new victims, experts said. “It has all the elements of what we warn people about,” said Anne Rimoin, a public health researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles. “People yelling and screaming, chanting, exerting themselves — all of those things provide opportunity for the virus to spread, and this virus takes those opportunities.” President Donald Trump has downplayed the pandemic almost since its beginning, and many of his supporters who entered the Capitol on Wednesday did not appear to be wearing masks or making any effort at social distancing. Under similar conditions, gatherings held in such close quarters have led to fast-spreading clusters of infection. But transmission of the virus has always been difficult to track. There is little effective contact tracing in the United States, and many in the crowd at the Capitol arrived from communities far from Washington. The Black Lives Matter protests in the summer raised similar concerns. But most were held outdoors, and greater numbers of participants seemed to be masked. Research afterward suggested these were not superspreading events. Attendees of the rally preceding the rush to the Capitol on Wednesday also stood outdoors close together for hours, but “I’m less worried about what was happening outdoors,” Rimoin said. “The risk increases exponentially indoors.” Hundreds of rioters shouting in crowded rooms and hallways for extended periods of time can infect dozens of people at once, she and other experts said. Three distinct groups — Capitol Police, rioters and members of Congress — “were spending time indoors, without social distancing, for long periods of time,” said Dr. Joshua Barocas, an infectious diseases physician at Boston University. The melee likely was a superspreader event, he added, “especially given the backdrop of the highly transmissible variants that are circulating.” Barocas was referring to a highly contagious new variant of the coronavirus, first identified in Britain. Cases have been reported in several U.S. states, and the variant may well have spread everywhere in the country, making events like the Capitol riot even more risky, he said. The idea that members of Congress may have been exposed, amid an already difficult transfer of power, particularly disturbed some scientists. “I am worried not only that it could it could lead to superspreading, but also superspreading to people who are elected officials,” said Dr. Tom Ingelsby, director of the Center for Health Security at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. And infected members of Congress and law enforcement could have spread the virus to one another as they sheltered from the violence, he noted. Rep. Jake LaTurner, R-Kan., announced on Twitter early Thursday morning that he had tested positive for the virus. LaTurner was cloistered in the chamber with other members of Congress for much of the day. At least a dozen of the 400 or so lawmakers and staff who were huddling in one committee room refused to wear masks even after being offered one, or wore them improperly below their chins, said Rep. Susan Wild, D-Pa. They gathered in a committee room that quickly became crowded, making social distancing impossible, she said. Some of the lawmakers were unmasked, and several were shouting. “Tensions were high, and people were yelling at each other,” Wild said. “I just started getting really kind of angry, thinking about the holidays just passed, and how so many people did not spend time with their immediate families for fear of spreading,” she added, referring to her unmasked colleagues. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., said the environment made her so nervous she sat on the floor at one point, hoping to duck whatever virus might be floating about. She has asked experts whether the lawmakers present should now quarantine, she said. She was wearing two masks, as she often does. “I get that they think they have their individual freedoms,” she said of Republican lawmakers who eschewed masks. “It’s a rule for a reason. It’s to protect the common good.” The risk for members of Congress will depend greatly on ventilation in the room where they sheltered, said Joseph Allen, an expert on buildings quality at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston. “If there is a well-designed secure facility, then it would have great ventilation and filtration,” Allen said. “If it’s a place where they were just hunkered down wherever they could go that was safe, and it was not a place that was designed like that, then we don’t really know.” It’s natural in a heart-pounding crisis to disregard risks that seem intangible or theoretical, he and other scientists noted. “You cannot keep distance if you’re trying to leave a very intense and dangerous situation,” said Seema Lakdawala, an expert in respiratory virus transmission at the University of Pittsburgh. “You’re weighing the risk of your life over the risk of getting a virus at that moment.” Members of Congress returned to continue the electoral count after the rioters were cleared from the Capitol. Some legislators took off their masks before giving a speech, Barocas noted, at precisely the time they needed to wear them. Talking at a high volume can expel vast quantities of aerosols, propelling them through an enclosed space. Scientists have documented infectious aerosols suspended in air nearly 20 feet from an infected person. And a recent study from South Korea found that two people had become infected after spending just five minutes in a restaurant, 15 feet away from an infected patron. Many Americans breathed sighs of relief as rioters departed the Capitol. Some experts feared that rioters heading back home could set off new chains of infection, perhaps impossible to track. “We might get an inkling into how bad it might be because of the federal employees,” Barocas said. But “I don’t think that we’re going to know the extent of this superspreader event.” Even as the mob stormed the Capitol on Wednesday, the pandemic marked a grim milestone: The virus claimed nearly 4,000 lives, the highest daily toll thus far. The numbers are expected to keep rising. The president has “created a culture in which people think it’s a hoax, and these basic control measures are being flouted repeatedly everywhere,” Allen said.

A riot amid a pandemic: Did the coronavirus, too, storm the Capitol?

President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a> has suggested to aides he wants to pardon himself in the final days of his presidency, according to two people with knowledge of the discussions, a move that would mark one of the most extraordinary and untested uses of presidential power in American history.

In several conversations since Election Day, Trump has told advisers that he is considering giving himself a pardon and, in other instances, asked whether he should and what the effect would be on him legally and politically, according to the two people. It was not clear whether he has broached the topic since he incited his supporters on Wednesday to storm the Capitol in a mob attack.

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Trump has shown signs that his level of interest in pardoning himself goes beyond idle musings. He has long maintained he has the power to pardon himself and his polling of aides’ views is typically a sign that he is preparing to follow through on his aims. He has also become increasingly convinced that his perceived enemies will use the levers of law enforcement to target him after he leaves office.

No president has pardoned himself, so the legitimacy of prospective self-clemency has never been tested in the justice system and legal scholars are divided about whether the courts would recognize it. But they agree a presidential self-pardon could create a dangerous new precedent for presidents to unilaterally declare they are above the law and to insulate themselves from being held accountable for any crimes they committed in office.

A White House spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

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Trump has considered a range of pre-emptive pardons for family, including his three oldest children — Donald Jr., Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump — Ivanka Trump’s husband, senior White House adviser Jared Kushner, and for close associates like the president’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani. Trump has expressed concerns to advisers that a Biden Justice Department might investigate all of them.

Trump, who has told advisers how much he likes having the power to issue clemency, has for weeks solicited aides and allies for suggestions on whom to pardon. He has also offered pre-emptive pardons to advisers and administration officials. Many were taken aback because they did not believe they were in legal jeopardy and that accepting his offer would be seen as an admission of guilt, according to the two people.

Presidential pardons apply only to federal law and provide no protection against state crimes. They would not apply to charges that could be brought by prosecutors in Manhattan investigating the Trump Organization’s finances.

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The discussions between Trump and his aides about a self-pardon came before his pressure over the weekend on Georgia officials to help him try to overturn the elections results or his incitement of the riots at the Capitol. Trump allies believe that both episodes increased Trump’s criminal exposure.

As aides urged Trump to issue a strong condemnation on Wednesday and he rejected that advice, the White House counsel, Pat A. Cipollone, warned Trump that he could face legal exposure for the riot given that he had urged his supporters to march to the Capitol and “fight” beforehand, according to people briefed on the discussion. Trump had appeared to White House aides to be enjoying watching the scenes play out on television.

Beyond that, the extent of Trump’s criminal exposure is unclear. Special counsel Robert Mueller outlined 10 instances in which Trump may have obstructed justice but declined to say whether Trump broke the law, citing legal and factual constraints of prosecuting a sitting president. Former Justice Department officials and legal experts said that several of the acts should be prosecuted.

In 2018, federal prosecutors in New York named Trump as a conspirator in an illegal campaign finance scheme.

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Pardons can be broad or narrowly tailored. White-collar defense lawyers said that Trump would be best served by citing specific crimes if he pardons himself, but such details could be politically damaging by suggesting that he was acknowledging he had committed those crimes.

A self-pardon would complicate the already fraught question for the Biden Justice Department about whether to investigate and ultimately prosecute Trump. Democrats and former Justice Department officials contend that if Trump pardons himself and the Justice Department declined to prosecute Trump, it will send a troubling message to Americans about the rule of law and for future presidents about their ability to flout the law.

“The Biden Justice Department will not want to acquiesce in a Trump self-pardon, which implies that the president is literally above federal law,” said Jack Goldsmith, a Harvard law professor and former top Justice Department official in the George W. Bush administration.

A self-pardon would align with Trump’s unprecedented use of the pardon power. The framers of the Constitution gave the president almost total authority to grant clemency for federal crimes, positioning the head of the executive branch as a check on the judicial branch and as someone who could dip into the justice system to show grace and mercy on the downtrodden.

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But Trump has eschewed the formal Justice Department process set up to ensure pardons are handed out fairly. Instead, he has used his pardon power unlike any other president to help allies, undermine rivals and push his own political agenda. Of the 94 pardons and commutations Trump has granted, 89% were issued to people who had a personal tie to Trump, helped him politically or whose case resonated with him, according to a tabulation by Goldsmith.

The only president to receive a pardon was Richard Nixon. A month after Nixon left office, his former vice president, Gerald Ford, pardoned him for all crimes he committed in office. The move was widely criticized at the time as allowing the presidency to hover above the law. Ford supporters later blamed the pardon for his election loss two years later, though ultimately the pardon came to be seen as a move that helped the country move on from Watergate.

Trump has maintained throughout his presidency that he has the authority to pardon himself and first discussed the possibility with aides as early as his first year in office. Those discussions began when his campaign’s ties to Russia were being scrutinized and investigators were examining whether he had obstructed justice.

Legal scholars are less certain about Trump’s declaration that he has an “absolute right” to pardon himself.

The Justice Department said in a short August 1974 opinion, just four days before Nixon resigned, that “it would seem” that presidents cannot pardon themselves “under the fundamental rule that no one may be a judge in his own case.”

But the president is not bound by those opinions, and there is nothing stopping Trump from signing a pardon for himself. The questions would be whether the Justice Department under another president would honor the pardon and set aside any potential prosecution of Trump and, if he were prosecuted, whether the judicial system would ultimately decide whether the pardon insulates Trump from facing charges.

“Only a court can invalidate a self-pardon, and it can only do so if the Biden administration brings a case against Trump,” Goldsmith said. “A Trump self-pardon would thus make it more likely the Biden team prosecutes Trump for crimes committed in office.”

Throughout Trump’s presidency, he and allies have looked to pardons as a way of helping the president protect himself in criminal investigations. During the Russia investigation, Trump and his personal lawyer John M. Dowd dangled pardons to former aides. One, his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, flouted a plea deal to work with prosecutors.

President Donald Trump has suggested to aides he wants to pardon himself in the final days of his presidency, according to two people with knowledge of the discussions, a move that would mark one of the most extraordinary and untested uses of presidential power in American history.

President Donald Trump has suggested to aides he wants to pardon himself in the final days of his presidency, according to two people with knowledge of the discussions, a move that would mark one of the most extraordinary and untested uses of presidential power in American history. In several conversations since Election Day, Trump has told advisers that he is considering giving himself a pardon and, in other instances, asked whether he should and what the effect would be on him legally and politically, according to the two people. It was not clear whether he has broached the topic since he incited his supporters on Wednesday to storm the Capitol in a mob attack. Also read| Rappers Lil Wayne, Kodak Black in line for Trump's pardons for these crimes Trump has shown signs that his level of interest in pardoning himself goes beyond idle musings. He has long maintained he has the power to pardon himself and his polling of aides’ views is typically a sign that he is preparing to follow through on his aims. He has also become increasingly convinced that his perceived enemies will use the levers of law enforcement to target him after he leaves office. No president has pardoned himself, so the legitimacy of prospective self-clemency has never been tested in the justice system and legal scholars are divided about whether the courts would recognize it. But they agree a presidential self-pardon could create a dangerous new precedent for presidents to unilaterally declare they are above the law and to insulate themselves from being held accountable for any crimes they committed in office. A White House spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. Also read| 'I hurt for our country': Michelle Obama, reacts after Capitol riots Trump has considered a range of pre-emptive pardons for family, including his three oldest children — Donald Jr., Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump — Ivanka Trump’s husband, senior White House adviser Jared Kushner, and for close associates like the president’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani. Trump has expressed concerns to advisers that a Biden Justice Department might investigate all of them. Trump, who has told advisers how much he likes having the power to issue clemency, has for weeks solicited aides and allies for suggestions on whom to pardon. He has also offered pre-emptive pardons to advisers and administration officials. Many were taken aback because they did not believe they were in legal jeopardy and that accepting his offer would be seen as an admission of guilt, according to the two people. Presidential pardons apply only to federal law and provide no protection against state crimes. They would not apply to charges that could be brought by prosecutors in Manhattan investigating the Trump Organization’s finances. Also read| After an assault on all democratic institutions, Trump attempts coup d'etat The discussions between Trump and his aides about a self-pardon came before his pressure over the weekend on Georgia officials to help him try to overturn the elections results or his incitement of the riots at the Capitol. Trump allies believe that both episodes increased Trump’s criminal exposure. As aides urged Trump to issue a strong condemnation on Wednesday and he rejected that advice, the White House counsel, Pat A. Cipollone, warned Trump that he could face legal exposure for the riot given that he had urged his supporters to march to the Capitol and “fight” beforehand, according to people briefed on the discussion. Trump had appeared to White House aides to be enjoying watching the scenes play out on television. Beyond that, the extent of Trump’s criminal exposure is unclear. Special counsel Robert Mueller outlined 10 instances in which Trump may have obstructed justice but declined to say whether Trump broke the law, citing legal and factual constraints of prosecuting a sitting president. Former Justice Department officials and legal experts said that several of the acts should be prosecuted. In 2018, federal prosecutors in New York named Trump as a conspirator in an illegal campaign finance scheme. Also read| As Capitol siege sends shockwaves across world, a timeline of how it unfolded Pardons can be broad or narrowly tailored. White-collar defense lawyers said that Trump would be best served by citing specific crimes if he pardons himself, but such details could be politically damaging by suggesting that he was acknowledging he had committed those crimes. A self-pardon would complicate the already fraught question for the Biden Justice Department about whether to investigate and ultimately prosecute Trump. Democrats and former Justice Department officials contend that if Trump pardons himself and the Justice Department declined to prosecute Trump, it will send a troubling message to Americans about the rule of law and for future presidents about their ability to flout the law. “The Biden Justice Department will not want to acquiesce in a Trump self-pardon, which implies that the president is literally above federal law,” said Jack Goldsmith, a Harvard law professor and former top Justice Department official in the George W. Bush administration. A self-pardon would align with Trump’s unprecedented use of the pardon power. The framers of the Constitution gave the president almost total authority to grant clemency for federal crimes, positioning the head of the executive branch as a check on the judicial branch and as someone who could dip into the justice system to show grace and mercy on the downtrodden. Also read| After various bans, Donald Trump makes a comeback on Twitter But Trump has eschewed the formal Justice Department process set up to ensure pardons are handed out fairly. Instead, he has used his pardon power unlike any other president to help allies, undermine rivals and push his own political agenda. Of the 94 pardons and commutations Trump has granted, 89% were issued to people who had a personal tie to Trump, helped him politically or whose case resonated with him, according to a tabulation by Goldsmith. The only president to receive a pardon was Richard Nixon. A month after Nixon left office, his former vice president, Gerald Ford, pardoned him for all crimes he committed in office. The move was widely criticized at the time as allowing the presidency to hover above the law. Ford supporters later blamed the pardon for his election loss two years later, though ultimately the pardon came to be seen as a move that helped the country move on from Watergate. Trump has maintained throughout his presidency that he has the authority to pardon himself and first discussed the possibility with aides as early as his first year in office. Those discussions began when his campaign’s ties to Russia were being scrutinized and investigators were examining whether he had obstructed justice. Legal scholars are less certain about Trump’s declaration that he has an “absolute right” to pardon himself. The Justice Department said in a short August 1974 opinion, just four days before Nixon resigned, that “it would seem” that presidents cannot pardon themselves “under the fundamental rule that no one may be a judge in his own case.” But the president is not bound by those opinions, and there is nothing stopping Trump from signing a pardon for himself. The questions would be whether the Justice Department under another president would honor the pardon and set aside any potential prosecution of Trump and, if he were prosecuted, whether the judicial system would ultimately decide whether the pardon insulates Trump from facing charges. “Only a court can invalidate a self-pardon, and it can only do so if the Biden administration brings a case against Trump,” Goldsmith said. “A Trump self-pardon would thus make it more likely the Biden team prosecutes Trump for crimes committed in office.” Throughout Trump’s presidency, he and allies have looked to pardons as a way of helping the president protect himself in criminal investigations. During the Russia investigation, Trump and his personal lawyer John M. Dowd dangled pardons to former aides. One, his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, flouted a plea deal to work with prosecutors.

Trump is said to have discussed pardoning himself

n the aftermath of a violent mob invading the Capitol building on Wednesday, calls in Congress are growing for President Donald Trump to be stripped of the power of his office under the disability clause of the 25th Amendment.

The amendment provides a complex, difficult process for wresting power from a sitting president. Here is a brief history of the 25th Amendment and an explanation of how it operates.

What is the 25th Amendment?

The 25th Amendment to the Constitution is primarily designed to clarify the presidential order of succession. The first three sections deal with when a president resigns, dies or becomes ill or temporarily incapacitated.

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The fourth section provides a multistep process for the vice president and a majority of the officials who lead executive agencies — commonly thought of as the Cabinet — to declare that the president is “unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.” That process ultimately requires a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress.

How did the 25th Amendment come about?

In the aftermath of John F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963, there was some confusion about how to choose a new vice president after Lyndon B. Johnson became president. And there was concern about what might happen if Johnson fell ill or was incapacitated before his replacement was found. Congress formally proposed the 25th Amendment in 1965, and the amendment became part of the Constitution in 1967, after 38 states ratified it.

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How would it actually work, if invoked now?

The first step would be for Vice President Mike Pence and a majority of the Cabinet to provide a written declaration to the president pro tempore of the Senate (currently Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa) and the speaker of the House (currently Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.) that Trump “is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.” That would immediately strip Trump of the powers of his office and make Pence the acting president.

But the 25th Amendment would allow Trump to immediately send a written declaration of his own to Grassley and Pelosi saying that he is in fact able to perform his duties. That would immediately allow him to resume his duties, unless Pence and the Cabinet send another declaration to the congressional leaders within four days restating their concerns. Pence would take over again as acting president.

That declaration would require Congress to assemble within 48 hours and to vote within 21 days. If two-thirds of members of both the House and the Senate agreed that Trump was unable to continue as president, he would be stripped permanently of the position and Pence would continue serving as acting president. If the vote in Congress fell short, Trump would resume his duties.

Would that ever happen?

The authors of the 25th Amendment intended it to be a difficult process that would make it exceedingly rare. They succeeded.

To put it in context, it is even more difficult to strip a president of power under the 25th Amendment than it is under the impeachment process. A president can be impeached by a simple majority in the House and removed from office by a two-thirds vote in the Senate. Stripping a president of power under the 25th Amendment requires a two-thirds vote in both chambers.

n the aftermath of a violent mob invading the Capitol building on Wednesday, calls in Congress are growing for President Donald Trump to be stripped of the power of his office under the disability clause of the 25th Amendment.

n the aftermath of a violent mob invading the Capitol building on Wednesday, calls in Congress are growing for President Donald Trump to be stripped of the power of his office under the disability clause of the 25th Amendment. The amendment provides a complex, difficult process for wresting power from a sitting president. Here is a brief history of the 25th Amendment and an explanation of how it operates. What is the 25th Amendment? The 25th Amendment to the Constitution is primarily designed to clarify the presidential order of succession. The first three sections deal with when a president resigns, dies or becomes ill or temporarily incapacitated. Also read| 'I hurt for our country': Michelle Obama, reacts after Capitol riots The fourth section provides a multistep process for the vice president and a majority of the officials who lead executive agencies — commonly thought of as the Cabinet — to declare that the president is “unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.” That process ultimately requires a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress. How did the 25th Amendment come about? In the aftermath of John F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963, there was some confusion about how to choose a new vice president after Lyndon B. Johnson became president. And there was concern about what might happen if Johnson fell ill or was incapacitated before his replacement was found. Congress formally proposed the 25th Amendment in 1965, and the amendment became part of the Constitution in 1967, after 38 states ratified it. Also read| After various bans, Donald Trump makes a comeback on Twitter How would it actually work, if invoked now? The first step would be for Vice President Mike Pence and a majority of the Cabinet to provide a written declaration to the president pro tempore of the Senate (currently Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa) and the speaker of the House (currently Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.) that Trump “is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.” That would immediately strip Trump of the powers of his office and make Pence the acting president. But the 25th Amendment would allow Trump to immediately send a written declaration of his own to Grassley and Pelosi saying that he is in fact able to perform his duties. That would immediately allow him to resume his duties, unless Pence and the Cabinet send another declaration to the congressional leaders within four days restating their concerns. Pence would take over again as acting president. That declaration would require Congress to assemble within 48 hours and to vote within 21 days. If two-thirds of members of both the House and the Senate agreed that Trump was unable to continue as president, he would be stripped permanently of the position and Pence would continue serving as acting president. If the vote in Congress fell short, Trump would resume his duties. Would that ever happen? The authors of the 25th Amendment intended it to be a difficult process that would make it exceedingly rare. They succeeded. To put it in context, it is even more difficult to strip a president of power under the 25th Amendment than it is under the impeachment process. A president can be impeached by a simple majority in the House and removed from office by a two-thirds vote in the Senate. Stripping a president of power under the 25th Amendment requires a two-thirds vote in both chambers.

What is the 25th Amendment, and how does it work?

Hundreds of President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday (January 6) in a bid to overturn his election defeat, occupying the symbol of American democracy and forcing Congress to suspend a session to certify President-elect Joe Biden's victory.

US Capitol invaders smash windows, destroy furniture

Donald Trump, whose "seditious rhetoric" incited a violent attack on the Capitol, is a "menace" and is unfit to remain in office and must be removed, US media outlets have asserted, as they tore into the American President, demanding that he be held accountable through impeachment proceedings or criminal prosecution.

Thousands of Trump's supporters stormed the US Capitol and clashed with police on Wednesday, resulting in at least the death of four persons and interrupting a constitutional process to affirm President-elect Joe Biden's victory in the election.

In an editorial titled 'Trump is to blame for Capitol attack', The New York Times said, "President Trump and his Republican enablers in Congress incited a violent attack Wednesday against the government they lead and the nation they profess to love. This cannot be allowed to stand."

The NYT editorial said Trump's "seditious rhetoric" prompted a mob of thousands of people to storm the US Capitol building, some breaking onto the House and Senate floors, where the nation's elected representatives had gathered to perform their constitutional duty of counting electoral votes and confirming the election of Joe Biden as president.

"The president needs to be held accountable, through impeachment proceedings or criminal prosecution, and the same goes for his supporters who carried out the violence. In time, there should be an investigation of the failure of the Capitol Police to prepare for an attack that was announced and planned in public," the report said.

"This is not just an attack on the results of the 2020 election. It is a precedent, a permission slip for similar opposition to the outcomes of future elections. It must be clearly rejected, and placed beyond the pale of permissible conduct. The leaders of the Republican Party also bear a measure of responsibility for the attack on the Capitol," it said.

The Washington Post in an editorial titled 'Trump caused the assault on the Capitol.

He must be removed' said the president's "refusal to accept his election defeat and his relentless incitement of his supporters led Wednesday to the unthinkable: an assault on the US Capitol by a violent mob that overwhelmed police and drove Congress from its chambers as it was debating the counting of electoral votes".

"Responsibility for this act of sedition lies squarely with the president, who has shown that his continued tenure in office poses a grave threat to US democracy. He should be removed," the Post editorial said.

Trump is "unfit" to remain in office for the next 14 days, when on January 20 President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn-in as the next leader of America, it said, adding "Every second he retains the vast powers of the presidency is a threat to public order and national security".

Vice President Mike Pence, who had to be whisked off the Senate floor for his own protection, should immediately gather the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment, declaring that Trump is "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office," it said.

The Congress, which would be required to ratify the action if Trump resisted, should do so and Pence should serve until President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated on January 20.

"Americans put on their seat belts, follow traffic laws, pay taxes and vote because of faith in a system, and that faith makes it work. The highest voice in the land incited people to break that faith, not just in tweets, but by inciting them to action. Trump is a menace, and as long as he remains in the White House, the country will be in danger," the editorial said.

The NYT editorial said January 6, 2021, will go down as a "dark day".

"The question is whether, even as Trump's time in office ends, America is at the beginning of a descent into an even darker and more divided epoch or the end of one. The danger is real, but the answer is not foreordained," it said.

Donald Trump, whose "seditious rhetoric" incited a violent attack on the Capitol, is a "menace" and is unfit to remain in office and must be removed, US media outlets have asserted, as they tore into the American President, demanding that he be held accountable through impeachment proceedings or criminal prosecution.

Donald Trump, whose "seditious rhetoric" incited a violent attack on the Capitol, is a "menace" and is unfit to remain in office and must be removed, US media outlets have asserted, as they tore into the American President, demanding that he be held accountable through impeachment proceedings or criminal prosecution. Thousands of Trump's supporters stormed the US Capitol and clashed with police on Wednesday, resulting in at least the death of four persons and interrupting a constitutional process to affirm President-elect Joe Biden's victory in the election. In an editorial titled 'Trump is to blame for Capitol attack', The New York Times said, "President Trump and his Republican enablers in Congress incited a violent attack Wednesday against the government they lead and the nation they profess to love. This cannot be allowed to stand." The NYT editorial said Trump's "seditious rhetoric" prompted a mob of thousands of people to storm the US Capitol building, some breaking onto the House and Senate floors, where the nation's elected representatives had gathered to perform their constitutional duty of counting electoral votes and confirming the election of Joe Biden as president. "The president needs to be held accountable, through impeachment proceedings or criminal prosecution, and the same goes for his supporters who carried out the violence. In time, there should be an investigation of the failure of the Capitol Police to prepare for an attack that was announced and planned in public," the report said. "This is not just an attack on the results of the 2020 election. It is a precedent, a permission slip for similar opposition to the outcomes of future elections. It must be clearly rejected, and placed beyond the pale of permissible conduct. The leaders of the Republican Party also bear a measure of responsibility for the attack on the Capitol," it said. The Washington Post in an editorial titled 'Trump caused the assault on the Capitol. He must be removed' said the president's "refusal to accept his election defeat and his relentless incitement of his supporters led Wednesday to the unthinkable: an assault on the US Capitol by a violent mob that overwhelmed police and drove Congress from its chambers as it was debating the counting of electoral votes". "Responsibility for this act of sedition lies squarely with the president, who has shown that his continued tenure in office poses a grave threat to US democracy. He should be removed," the Post editorial said. Trump is "unfit" to remain in office for the next 14 days, when on January 20 President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn-in as the next leader of America, it said, adding "Every second he retains the vast powers of the presidency is a threat to public order and national security". Vice President Mike Pence, who had to be whisked off the Senate floor for his own protection, should immediately gather the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment, declaring that Trump is "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office," it said. The Congress, which would be required to ratify the action if Trump resisted, should do so and Pence should serve until President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated on January 20. "Americans put on their seat belts, follow traffic laws, pay taxes and vote because of faith in a system, and that faith makes it work. The highest voice in the land incited people to break that faith, not just in tweets, but by inciting them to action. Trump is a menace, and as long as he remains in the White House, the country will be in danger," the editorial said. The NYT editorial said January 6, 2021, will go down as a "dark day". "The question is whether, even as Trump's time in office ends, America is at the beginning of a descent into an even darker and more divided epoch or the end of one. The danger is real, but the answer is not foreordained," it said.

Trump is 'menace', must be removed and held accountable for Capitol attack: US media

In what was a sign of his continued refusal to admit Joe Biden's election victory, current US President Donald Trump asked his deputy and US Vice President Mike Pence to not certify Biden's victory in US Congress. Due to his combative stance for past two months, many steps which are considered mere formality have been embroiled in contention.

"If Mike Pence does the right thing, we win the election," Trump told cheering supporters outside the White House. "He has the absolute right to do it.

"Mike Pence is going to have to come through for us, and if he doesn't, that will be a sad day for our country."

Vice-President Mike Pence will preside over the US Congress session in which the members of the legislature will put their seal on Joe Biden's victory in the election.

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Trump rebuked "weak" Republicans planning to go along with the certification, accusing them of having "turned a blind eye" and threatening them with primary challenges in future elections.&nbsp;

During his speech in front of his supporters, Trump repeated his claims of US Presidential elections being a fraud and as usual, did not offer any substantial proof to support his claim.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-cost-republican-party-the-house-and-now-the-senate-354941">Donald Trump cost Republican Party the House, and now the Senate</a>

"We will never give up, we will never concede," Trump said the rally at the Ellipse park area near the White House, claiming without evidence that "hundreds of thousands" of people were attending the event. "We will stop the steal."

(With agency inputs)

In what was a sign of his continued refusal to admit Joe Biden's election victory, current US President Donald Trump asked his deputy and US Vice President Mike Pence to not certify Biden's victory in US Congress.

In what was a sign of his continued refusal to admit Joe Biden's election victory, current US President Donald Trump asked his deputy and US Vice President Mike Pence to not certify Biden's victory in US Congress. Due to his combative stance for past two months, many steps which are considered mere formality have been embroiled in contention. "If Mike Pence does the right thing, we win the election," Trump told cheering supporters outside the White House. "He has the absolute right to do it. "Mike Pence is going to have to come through for us, and if he doesn't, that will be a sad day for our country." Vice-President Mike Pence will preside over the US Congress session in which the members of the legislature will put their seal on Joe Biden's victory in the election. https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-democrats-set-to-control-us-senate-354944 × Trump rebuked "weak" Republicans planning to go along with the certification, accusing them of having "turned a blind eye" and threatening them with primary challenges in future elections. During his speech in front of his supporters, Trump repeated his claims of US Presidential elections being a fraud and as usual, did not offer any substantial proof to support his claim. Also Read | Donald Trump cost Republican Party the House, and now the Senate "We will never give up, we will never concede," Trump said the rally at the Ellipse park area near the White House, claiming without evidence that "hundreds of thousands" of people were attending the event. "We will stop the steal." (With agency inputs)

Donald Trump asks Vice-President Mike Pence to not certify Joe Biden victory in US Congress

Donald Trump's supporters stormed a session of Congress held Wednesday to certify Joe Biden's election win, triggering unprecedented chaos and violence at the heart of American democracy and accusations the president was attempting a coup.

Egged on in an extraordinary rally across town by an aggrieved Trump, a flag-waving mob broke down barricades outside the Capitol and swarmed inside, rampaging through offices and onto the usually solemn legislative floors.

It was being said that the on-duty policemen just let the mob take over the premises without showing any resistance. And now there's enough proof to substantiate this.

A user on Twitter posted a yet-unverified clip of how the cops let the agitators enter the Capitol Hill.

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Well, confirmation that the cops literally just let them through <a href="https://t.co/kqhLn4swjq">pic.twitter.com/kqhLn4swjq</a>
— Joshua Potash (@JoshuaPotash) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoshuaPotash/status/1346931235176783873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2021</a></blockquote>
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And then, there were more daring protesters who -- and in real -- clicked selfies with these policemen.

There's proof for this as well.

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Cops are taking selfies with the terrorists. <a href="https://t.co/EjkQ83h1p2">pic.twitter.com/EjkQ83h1p2</a>
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) <a href="https://twitter.com/bubbaprog/status/1346920198461419520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The more responsible security personnel, however, later fired tear gas in a four-hour operation to clear the Capitol. Police said that one woman, reportedly a female Trump partisan from southern California, was shot and killed and that three other people died in the area in circumstances that were unclear.

One Trump backer in jeans and a baseball cap was pictured propping a leg up on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's desk, where a threatening note had been left, as throngs of others climbed onto risers set up for Biden's inauguration on January 20, holding a banner that read: "We the people will bring DC to its knees/We have the power."

Biden called the violence an "insurrection" and demanded that Trump immediately go on national television to tell the rioters to stand down.

Trump soon afterward released a video in which he called on the mob to leave but repeated his unfounded claims of election fraud.

In a major step, social media companies pulled down Trump's video on charges it aggravated violence and Twitter temporarily suspended his account, warning the tweet-loving tycoon of a permanent ban if he does not conform to rules on civic integrity.

Vowing not to be deterred, lawmakers resumed business after dark and voted down the first challenge to Biden's win, with several Trump loyalists reversing course in the wake of the violence that drew shock around the world.

The chaos at the Capitol came a day after Biden enjoyed a new triumph, with his Democrats&nbsp;projected to win two Senate seats in runoffs in Georgia -- handing the party full control of Congress and dramatically increasing Biden's ability to pass legislation, starting with new Covid-19 relief.&nbsp;

Historians said it was the first time that the Capitol had been taken over since 1814 when the British burned it during the War of 1812.

Former president Barack Obama called the violence "a moment of great dishonour and shame for our nation."

"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 baselessly lie about the outcome of a lawful election."

Former president George W Bush also did not mince words, denouncing lawmakers' "reckless behavior" and saying: "This is how election results are disputed in a banana republic -- not our democratic republic."

US allies also voiced shock, with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson denouncing the "disgraceful scenes" and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas urging Trump backers to "stop trampling on democracy."

Biden won in excess of seven million votes more than Trump in the November 3 election and leads him 306-232 in the state-by-state Electoral College count that determines elections, with Republicans unable to prove in court a single allegation of fraud.

Vowing not to be deterred, lawmakers resumed business after dark and voted down the first challenge to Biden's win, with several Trump loyalists reversing course in the wake of the violence that drew shock around the world. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Donald Trump's supporters stormed a session of Congress held Wednesday to certify Joe Biden's election win, triggering unprecedented chaos and violence at the heart of American democracy and accusations the president was attempting a coup.

Donald Trump's supporters stormed a session of Congress held Wednesday to certify Joe Biden's election win, triggering unprecedented chaos and violence at the heart of American democracy and accusations the president was attempting a coup. Egged on in an extraordinary rally across town by an aggrieved Trump, a flag-waving mob broke down barricades outside the Capitol and swarmed inside, rampaging through offices and onto the usually solemn legislative floors. It was being said that the on-duty policemen just let the mob take over the premises without showing any resistance. And now there's enough proof to substantiate this. A user on Twitter posted a yet-unverified clip of how the cops let the agitators enter the Capitol Hill. Well, confirmation that the cops literally just let them through pic.twitter.com/kqhLn4swjq — Joshua Potash (@JoshuaPotash) January 6, 2021 × And then, there were more daring protesters who -- and in real -- clicked selfies with these policemen. There's proof for this as well. Cops are taking selfies with the terrorists. pic.twitter.com/EjkQ83h1p2 — Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) January 6, 2021 × The more responsible security personnel, however, later fired tear gas in a four-hour operation to clear the Capitol. Police said that one woman, reportedly a female Trump partisan from southern California, was shot and killed and that three other people died in the area in circumstances that were unclear. One Trump backer in jeans and a baseball cap was pictured propping a leg up on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's desk, where a threatening note had been left, as throngs of others climbed onto risers set up for Biden's inauguration on January 20, holding a banner that read: "We the people will bring DC to its knees/We have the power." Biden called the violence an "insurrection" and demanded that Trump immediately go on national television to tell the rioters to stand down. Trump soon afterward released a video in which he called on the mob to leave but repeated his unfounded claims of election fraud. In a major step, social media companies pulled down Trump's video on charges it aggravated violence and Twitter temporarily suspended his account, warning the tweet-loving tycoon of a permanent ban if he does not conform to rules on civic integrity. Vowing not to be deterred, lawmakers resumed business after dark and voted down the first challenge to Biden's win, with several Trump loyalists reversing course in the wake of the violence that drew shock around the world. The chaos at the Capitol came a day after Biden enjoyed a new triumph, with his Democrats projected to win two Senate seats in runoffs in Georgia -- handing the party full control of Congress and dramatically increasing Biden's ability to pass legislation, starting with new Covid-19 relief. Historians said it was the first time that the Capitol had been taken over since 1814 when the British burned it during the War of 1812. Former president Barack Obama called the violence "a moment of great dishonour and shame for our nation." "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 baselessly lie about the outcome of a lawful election." Former president George W Bush also did not mince words, denouncing lawmakers' "reckless behavior" and saying: "This is how election results are disputed in a banana republic -- not our democratic republic." US allies also voiced shock, with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson denouncing the "disgraceful scenes" and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas urging Trump backers to "stop trampling on democracy." Biden won in excess of seven million votes more than Trump in the November 3 election and leads him 306-232 in the state-by-state Electoral College count that determines elections, with Republicans unable to prove in court a single allegation of fraud. Vowing not to be deterred, lawmakers resumed business after dark and voted down the first challenge to Biden's win, with several Trump loyalists reversing course in the wake of the violence that drew shock around the world.

Cops had let the mob storm US Capitol without any resistance. And there's proof

The rally that began in support of President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump </a>ended as a permanent and irreversible stain on the Trump presidency.&nbsp;

From vandalism to guards pointing guns, politicians ducking for cover to mob storming the seat of power to block the selection of a new leader, the scenes at the US Capitol looked like a Hollywood thriller.&nbsp;

The event left us with several questions, but let's look at how it unfolded.&nbsp;

In the beginning, Trump supporters gathered at the Ellipse, a 52-acre park in the south of the White House.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/woman-shot-dead-in-us-capitol-violence-was-strong-trump-supporter-and-military-veteran-355189">Woman shot dead in US capitol violence was strong Trump supporter and military veteran</a>

These supporters were responding to a tweet by the US president asking them to be there and be wild.&nbsp;

Soon, thousands joined the rally and the sentiments started sunning high when Trump made a declaration that he will walk with the supporters all the way to the Capitol building.&nbsp;

"After this, we're gonna walk down and I'll be there with you. We're gonna walk down. We're gonna walk down anywhere you want. But I think right here, we're gonna walk down to the Capitol," said Trump.&nbsp;

The protesters started marching to the Capitol as Trump withdrew to the White House.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the Congressmen started going inside the Capitol building

<h2>1:00 pm</h2>

US Vice President Mike opened the joint session where he refused to block election results and certified Joe Biden's victory.

Outside the Capitol, a scuffle began between Trump supporters and the police.&nbsp;

<h2>1:30 pm</h2>

The protesters stormed the building and some even scaled the walls.&nbsp;

Some people also walked up to the scaffolding set up for Biden's inauguration.&nbsp;

They broke through the security and entered the Capitol building.&nbsp;

A police officer tried to stop them as they made their way to the Senate chamber but to no avail.&nbsp;

<h2>1:45 pm</h2>

Visuals saw police officers on the floor of the house with their guns drawn.

Members of the Senate and the House of Representatives were evacuated with both chambers suspended their deliberations.&nbsp;

<h2>2 pm</h2>

The protesters took control of the Capitol as they strolled through the building.&nbsp;

Some people posed for pictures inside House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office.&nbsp;

Others sat on the seat of the speaker as the number of protesters outside to Capitol continue to swell.&nbsp;

<h2>2:30 pm</h2>

The rampage continued for close to an hour and Trump issued a plea on Twitter asking the protesters to "remain peaceful".

But, the violence did not stop and inside the building, a video surfaced of police attempting to treat a woman who was accidentally shot.

The woman later succumbed to her injuries in a hospital.&nbsp;

US President-elect Biden asked Trump to step up and ask the protesters to stop.&nbsp;

"And this God awful display today is bringing home to every Republican and Democrat and Independent in the nation that we must step up. This is the United States of America. There's never, ever, ever, ever, ever been a thing we've tried to do that we've done it together and not been able to do it. So President Trump, step up. May God bless America. May God protect our troops and all those folks at the Capitol who are trying to preserve order," said Biden.&nbsp;

<h2>4:30 pm</h2>

After almost three hours of the siege, Trump asked protesters to go home but continued to denounce the election results.&nbsp;

"This was a fraudulent election, but we can't play into the hands of these people. We have to have peace. So go home. We love you, you're very special. You've seen what happens. You see the way others are treated that are so bad and so evil. I know how you feel, but go home and go home in peace," said Trump.&nbsp;

<h2>5:30 pm</h2>

As the temperature dropped, the crowd outside the Capitol began to dissipate.&nbsp;

By dusk, only a few hundred remained.&nbsp;

Security forces announced that the Capitol building is now secured.

The House chambers were cleaned for the members to return to the joint session.&nbsp;

As the day ended, it was announced that four people died in the siege.&nbsp;

Trump who promised to march with the protesters did not show up. 
&nbsp;

The rally that began in support of President Donald Trump ended as a permanent and irreversible stain on the Trump presidency. From vandalism to guards pointing guns, politicians ducking for cover to mob storming the seat of power to block the selection of a new leader, the scenes at the US Capitol looked like a Hollywood thriller.

The rally that began in support of President Donald Trump ended as a permanent and irreversible stain on the Trump presidency. From vandalism to guards pointing guns, politicians ducking for cover to mob storming the seat of power to block the selection of a new leader, the scenes at the US Capitol looked like a Hollywood thriller. The event left us with several questions, but let's look at how it unfolded. In the beginning, Trump supporters gathered at the Ellipse, a 52-acre park in the south of the White House. Also read | Woman shot dead in US capitol violence was strong Trump supporter and military veteran These supporters were responding to a tweet by the US president asking them to be there and be wild. Soon, thousands joined the rally and the sentiments started sunning high when Trump made a declaration that he will walk with the supporters all the way to the Capitol building. "After this, we're gonna walk down and I'll be there with you. We're gonna walk down. We're gonna walk down anywhere you want. But I think right here, we're gonna walk down to the Capitol," said Trump. The protesters started marching to the Capitol as Trump withdrew to the White House. Meanwhile, the Congressmen started going inside the Capitol building 1:00 pm US Vice President Mike opened the joint session where he refused to block election results and certified Joe Biden's victory. Outside the Capitol, a scuffle began between Trump supporters and the police. 1:30 pm The protesters stormed the building and some even scaled the walls. Some people also walked up to the scaffolding set up for Biden's inauguration. They broke through the security and entered the Capitol building. A police officer tried to stop them as they made their way to the Senate chamber but to no avail. 1:45 pm Visuals saw police officers on the floor of the house with their guns drawn. Members of the Senate and the House of Representatives were evacuated with both chambers suspended their deliberations. 2 pm The protesters took control of the Capitol as they strolled through the building. Some people posed for pictures inside House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office. Others sat on the seat of the speaker as the number of protesters outside to Capitol continue to swell. 2:30 pm The rampage continued for close to an hour and Trump issued a plea on Twitter asking the protesters to "remain peaceful". But, the violence did not stop and inside the building, a video surfaced of police attempting to treat a woman who was accidentally shot. The woman later succumbed to her injuries in a hospital. US President-elect Biden asked Trump to step up and ask the protesters to stop. "And this God awful display today is bringing home to every Republican and Democrat and Independent in the nation that we must step up. This is the United States of America. There's never, ever, ever, ever, ever been a thing we've tried to do that we've done it together and not been able to do it. So President Trump, step up. May God bless America. May God protect our troops and all those folks at the Capitol who are trying to preserve order," said Biden. 4:30 pm After almost three hours of the siege, Trump asked protesters to go home but continued to denounce the election results. "This was a fraudulent election, but we can't play into the hands of these people. We have to have peace. So go home. We love you, you're very special. You've seen what happens. You see the way others are treated that are so bad and so evil. I know how you feel, but go home and go home in peace," said Trump. 5:30 pm As the temperature dropped, the crowd outside the Capitol began to dissipate. By dusk, only a few hundred remained. Security forces announced that the Capitol building is now secured. The House chambers were cleaned for the members to return to the joint session. As the day ended, it was announced that four people died in the siege. Trump who promised to march with the protesters did not show up.

As Capitol siege sends shockwaves across the world, here's a timeline of how it unfolded

The House, The Senate & the Presidency. In 4 years Donald trump has cost the Republican Party all 3. Democrats are set to control the U.S. Congress.

Gravitas: Democrats set to control U.S. Senate

Hundreds of President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday in a bid to overturn his election defeat, occupying the symbol of American democracy and forcing Congress to suspend a session to certify President-elect Joe Biden's victory.

Woman shot dead inside Capitol during riots, succumbs to injuries

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The United States Senate on Wednesday rejected the first objection for certifying Joe Biden's presidential election victory after hundreds of supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-senate-rejects-first-objection-to-biden-certification-after-pro-trump-mob-invades-capitol-354954">READ MORE</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/tear-gas-explosives-and-gunfire-trump-supporters-storm-capitol-clash-with-police-354961">Tear gas, explosives and gunfire: Trump supporters storm Capitol, clash with police</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/tear-gas-explosives-and-gunfire-trump-supporters-storm-capitol-clash-with-police-354961">SEE PICS</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-blocks-trump-threatens-permanent-ban-over-inciting-violence-354957">Twitter blocks Trump, threatens permanent ban over inciting violence</a>

Microblogging site Twitter has locked US president Trump’s account for 12 hours and threatened to permanently ban him from the platform for flouting its civic integrity rules, ordering him to remove three rule-breaking tweets | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-blocks-trump-threatens-permanent-ban-over-inciting-violence-354957">READ MORE</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/woman-shot-during-riot-inside-the-us-capitol-building-has-died-police-354962">Woman shot during riot inside the US Capitol building has died: Police</a>

A woman who was shot inside of the US Capitol on Wednesday has died, the Washington DC Police has confirmed. This comes after pro-Trump protesters charged the building as Congress began counting the Electoral College votes | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/woman-shot-during-riot-inside-the-us-capitol-building-has-died-police-354962">READ MORE</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-considering-adding-alibaba-tencent-to-china-stock-ban-354967">US considering adding Alibaba, Tencent to China stock ban</a>

The Trump administration is considering adding Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and Tencent Holdings Ltd to a blacklist of Chinese companies that are allegedly owned or controlled by the Chinese military |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-considering-adding-alibaba-tencent-to-china-stock-ban-354967"> READ MORE</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nyse-to-delist-three-chinese-telecoms-in-a-surprising-about-face-355005">NYSE to delist three Chinese telecoms in a surprising about-face</a>

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) has finally decided to delist three Chinese telecom companies, confirming its latest U-turn on the matter a day after US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin told the NYSE chief he disagreed with an earlier decision to reverse the delistings | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nyse-to-delist-three-chinese-telecoms-in-a-surprising-about-face-355005">READ MORE</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ivanka-trump-faces-criticism-for-calling-pro-trump-mob-patriots-354995">Ivanka Trump faces criticism for calling pro-Trump mob 'patriots'</a>

White House advisor and President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka is facing criticism for calling pro-Trump rioters that stormed the US Capitol as ''patriots'' on social networking platform Twitter | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ivanka-trump-faces-criticism-for-calling-pro-trump-mob-patriots-354995">READ MORE</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/can-trump-be-removed-from-office-before-his-term-ends-on-january-20-354973">Can Trump be removed from office before his term ends on January 20?</a>

The storming of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump on Wednesday has prompted calls by some Congressional Democrats to remove him from office before President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in on Jan. 20 | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/can-trump-be-removed-from-office-before-his-term-ends-on-january-20-354973">READ MORE</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indian-pm-modi-world-leaders-condemn-rioting-and-violence-at-us-capitol-354972">Indian PM Modi, world leaders condemn rioting and violence at US Capitol</a>

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed shock and outrage at the storming of the US Capitol in Washington by supporters of President Donald Trump | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indian-pm-modi-world-leaders-condemn-rioting-and-violence-at-us-capitol-354972">READ MORE</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-blocks-trump-from-posting-for-24-hours-over-policy-violations-354963">Facebook blocks Trump from posting for 24 hours over policy violations</a>

Facebook barred US President Donald Trump from posting Wednesday over messages it said were promoting violence as his supporters stormed the US Capitol |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-blocks-trump-from-posting-for-24-hours-over-policy-violations-354963"> READ MORE</a>

US Senate rejects first objection to Biden certification after pro-Trump mob invades Capitol The United States Senate on Wednesday rejected the first objection for certifying Joe Biden's presidential election victory after hundreds of supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol | READ MORE Tear gas, explosives and gunfire: Trump supporters storm Capitol, clash with police SEE PICS Twitter blocks Trump, threatens permanent ban over inciting violence Microblogging site Twitter has locked US president Trump’s account for 12 hours and threatened to permanently ban him from the platform for flouting its civic integrity rules, ordering him to remove three rule-breaking tweets | READ MORE Woman shot during riot inside the US Capitol building has died: Police A woman who was shot inside of the US Capitol on Wednesday has died, the Washington DC Police has confirmed.

US Senate rejects first objection to Biden certification after pro-Trump mob invades Capitol The United States Senate on Wednesday rejected the first objection for certifying Joe Biden's presidential election victory after hundreds of supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol | READ MORE Tear gas, explosives and gunfire: Trump supporters storm Capitol, clash with police SEE PICS Twitter blocks Trump, threatens permanent ban over inciting violence Microblogging site Twitter has locked US president Trump’s account for 12 hours and threatened to permanently ban him from the platform for flouting its civic integrity rules, ordering him to remove three rule-breaking tweets | READ MORE Woman shot during riot inside the US Capitol building has died: Police A woman who was shot inside of the US Capitol on Wednesday has died, the Washington DC Police has confirmed. This comes after pro-Trump protesters charged the building as Congress began counting the Electoral College votes | READ MORE US considering adding Alibaba, Tencent to China stock ban The Trump administration is considering adding Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and Tencent Holdings Ltd to a blacklist of Chinese companies that are allegedly owned or controlled by the Chinese military | READ MORE NYSE to delist three Chinese telecoms in a surprising about-face The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) has finally decided to delist three Chinese telecom companies, confirming its latest U-turn on the matter a day after US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin told the NYSE chief he disagreed with an earlier decision to reverse the delistings | READ MORE Ivanka Trump faces criticism for calling pro-Trump mob 'patriots' White House advisor and President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka is facing criticism for calling pro-Trump rioters that stormed the US Capitol as ''patriots'' on social networking platform Twitter | READ MORE Can Trump be removed from office before his term ends on January 20? The storming of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump on Wednesday has prompted calls by some Congressional Democrats to remove him from office before President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in on Jan. 20 | READ MORE Indian PM Modi, world leaders condemn rioting and violence at US Capitol Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed shock and outrage at the storming of the US Capitol in Washington by supporters of President Donald Trump | READ MORE Facebook blocks Trump from posting for 24 hours over policy violations Facebook barred US President Donald Trump from posting Wednesday over messages it said were promoting violence as his supporters stormed the US Capitol | READ MORE

Morning news brief: Anarchy in the US, its aftermath and world reactions

An Iraqi court has issued an arrest warrant against US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump </a>as part of the investigation over the killing of a top Iraqi paramilitary commander.&nbsp;

Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy head of Iraq's majorly pro-Iran Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary network was killed along with top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in a US drone strike last year on January 3.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/demonstrations-in-iran-and-iraq-to-condemn-soleimanis-killing-354178/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The order came on a day when Trump is facing backlash after his supporters stormed into US Capitol building and caused mayhem and violence.&nbsp;

In Pics | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/a-year-after-soleimanis-killing-the-operation-the-method-and-sanctions-354213">A year after Soleimani's killing: The operation, the method, and sanctions</a>

Earlier in the day, the US president also vowed of an "orderly transition" to make way for his Democratic successor Joe Biden who won the November election.&nbsp;

Trump last year ordered the drone attack on the two top military officials and called it that two men were killed "for the price of one".&nbsp;

Agnes Callamard, the UN special rapporteur for extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, has regarded the US actions as "arbitrary" and "illegal".&nbsp;

Earlier in June, Iran issued a warrant against the US president and urged Interpol to send a red notice to other police forces across the world.&nbsp;

The warrant by the Baghdad court was made under Article 406 of the penal code that has a provision for the death penalty in all cases of premeditated murder, the judiciary said.&nbsp;

The court said the preliminary probe had been finished but "investigations are continuing in order to unmask the other culprits in this crime, be they Iraqis or foreigners."

An Iraqi court has issued an arrest warrant against US President Donald Trump as part of the investigation over the killing of a top Iraqi paramilitary commander.

An Iraqi court has issued an arrest warrant against US President Donald Trump as part of the investigation over the killing of a top Iraqi paramilitary commander. Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy head of Iraq's majorly pro-Iran Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary network was killed along with top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in a US drone strike last year on January 3. Watch | The order came on a day when Trump is facing backlash after his supporters stormed into US Capitol building and caused mayhem and violence. In Pics | A year after Soleimani's killing: The operation, the method, and sanctions Earlier in the day, the US president also vowed of an "orderly transition" to make way for his Democratic successor Joe Biden who won the November election. Trump last year ordered the drone attack on the two top military officials and called it that two men were killed "for the price of one". Agnes Callamard, the UN special rapporteur for extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, has regarded the US actions as "arbitrary" and "illegal". Earlier in June, Iran issued a warrant against the US president and urged Interpol to send a red notice to other police forces across the world. The warrant by the Baghdad court was made under Article 406 of the penal code that has a provision for the death penalty in all cases of premeditated murder, the judiciary said. The court said the preliminary probe had been finished but "investigations are continuing in order to unmask the other culprits in this crime, be they Iraqis or foreigners."

Iraqi court issues arrest warrant against Donald Trump

Hours after hundreds of President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in a harrowing assault on American democracy, a shaken Congress on Thursday formally certified Democrat Joe Biden’s election victory.

'Go home', says President Donald Trump to protesters after Biden urges him to end unrest

The United States&nbsp;Senate on Wednesday rejected the&nbsp;first objection for&nbsp;certifying Joe Biden's presidential election victory&nbsp;after hundreds of supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the US&nbsp;Capitol on Wednesday in a bid to overturn his election defeat.

The lawmakers voted 93 to 6 against the effort to reject Arizona's electoral count, overcoming the first of what may be multiple hurdles to the November presidential election's certification.

The House of Representatives will also vote on Arizona, and the effort is expected to fail there too, before Congress continues its process to certify the electoral votes of all 50 states.&nbsp;

Bringing the Senate into session Vice President Mike Pence said, "As we reconvene in this chamber, the world will again witness the resilience and strength of our democracy."

"To those who wreaked havoc in our Capitol today, you did not win. Violence never wins, freedom wins," Pence added. "And this is still the people's house."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-supporters-storm-us-capitol-building-during-joe-biden-certification-354950" hreflang="en">Donald Trump supporters storm US Capitol building during Biden certification</a>

Police evacuated lawmakers and struggled for more than three hours to clear the Capitol of Trump supporters, who surged through the halls and rummaged through offices in shocking scenes of chaos and mayhem.

One woman died after being shot during the mayhem, Washington police said. The FBI said it had disarmed two suspected explosive devices.

Police declared the Capitol building secure shortly after 5:30 p.m. (2230 GMT), and lawmakers reconvened shortly after 8 p.m. (0100 GMT on Thursday) to resume the election certification.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/capitol-hill-violence-president-trump-step-up-and-end-this-says-biden-354948">Capitol Hill violence: President Trump 'step up' and end this, says Biden</a>

"To those who wreaked havoc in our Capitol today - you did not win," Vice President Mike Pence said as the session resumed. "Let's get back to work," he said, drawing applause.

"We will certify the winner of the 2020 election," Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell added, calling the assault by Trump supporters a "failed insurrection."

Lawmakers were debating a last-ditch effort by pro-Trump lawmakers to challenge the results, which was unlikely to succeed. But some who had planned to object said they would cut their effort short and perhaps only challenge the results in one state instead of multiple states.

Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser ordered a citywide curfew starting at 6 p.m. (2300 GMT). National Guard troops, FBI agents and U.S. Secret Service were deployed to help overwhelmed Capitol police, and Guard troops and police pushed protesters away from the Capitol after the curfew took effect.

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."

"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 baselessly lie about the outcome of a lawful election."

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're seeing the consequences, whipped up into a violent crescendo," he said in a statement.

Trump supporters broke windows and police deployed tear gas inside the building. Washington Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee said members of the crowd used chemical irritants to attack police and several had been injured.

It was the most damaging attack on the iconic building since the British army burned it in 1814, according to the US&nbsp;Capitol Historical Society.

The chaotic scenes unfolded after Trump, who before the election refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he lost, addressed thousands of supporters near the White House, repeating unfounded claims that the election was stolen from him due to widespread fraud and irregularities.

Trump told the supporters they should march on the Capitol to express their anger at the voting process and pressure their elected officials to reject the results, urging them "to fight."

Biden, a Democrat who defeated the Republican president in the November&nbsp;3 election and is due to take office on January&nbsp;20, said the activity of the protesters "borders on sedition."

The chaos at the Capitol came a day after Biden enjoyed a new triumph, with his Democratic Party projected to win two Senate runoff seats, handing them full control of Congress.&nbsp;

Historians said it was the first time that the Capitol had been taken over since 1814 when the British burned it during the War of 1812.

For more than two centuries, the joint session of Congress has been a quiet, ceremonial event that formally certifies the election winner -- but Trump urged members of his Republican Party to reject the outcome.

The United States Senate on Wednesday rejected the first objection for certifying Joe Biden's presidential election victory after hundreds of supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol on Wednesday in a bid to overturn his election defeat.

The United States Senate on Wednesday rejected the first objection for certifying Joe Biden's presidential election victory after hundreds of supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol on Wednesday in a bid to overturn his election defeat. The lawmakers voted 93 to 6 against the effort to reject Arizona's electoral count, overcoming the first of what may be multiple hurdles to the November presidential election's certification. The House of Representatives will also vote on Arizona, and the effort is expected to fail there too, before Congress continues its process to certify the electoral votes of all 50 states. Bringing the Senate into session Vice President Mike Pence said, "As we reconvene in this chamber, the world will again witness the resilience and strength of our democracy." "To those who wreaked havoc in our Capitol today, you did not win. Violence never wins, freedom wins," Pence added. "And this is still the people's house." Also read: Donald Trump supporters storm US Capitol building during Biden certification Police evacuated lawmakers and struggled for more than three hours to clear the Capitol of Trump supporters, who surged through the halls and rummaged through offices in shocking scenes of chaos and mayhem. One woman died after being shot during the mayhem, Washington police said. The FBI said it had disarmed two suspected explosive devices. Police declared the Capitol building secure shortly after 5:30 p.m. (2230 GMT), and lawmakers reconvened shortly after 8 p.m. (0100 GMT on Thursday) to resume the election certification. Also read: Capitol Hill violence: President Trump 'step up' and end this, says Biden "To those who wreaked havoc in our Capitol today - you did not win," Vice President Mike Pence said as the session resumed. "Let's get back to work," he said, drawing applause. "We will certify the winner of the 2020 election," Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell added, calling the assault by Trump supporters a "failed insurrection." Lawmakers were debating a last-ditch effort by pro-Trump lawmakers to challenge the results, which was unlikely to succeed. But some who had planned to object said they would cut their effort short and perhaps only challenge the results in one state instead of multiple states. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser ordered a citywide curfew starting at 6 p.m. (2300 GMT). National Guard troops, FBI agents and U.S. Secret Service were deployed to help overwhelmed Capitol police, and Guard troops and police pushed protesters away from the Capitol after the curfew took effect. 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." "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 baselessly lie about the outcome of a lawful election." 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're seeing the consequences, whipped up into a violent crescendo," he said in a statement. Trump supporters broke windows and police deployed tear gas inside the building. Washington Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee said members of the crowd used chemical irritants to attack police and several had been injured. It was the most damaging attack on the iconic building since the British army burned it in 1814, according to the US Capitol Historical Society. The chaotic scenes unfolded after Trump, who before the election refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he lost, addressed thousands of supporters near the White House, repeating unfounded claims that the election was stolen from him due to widespread fraud and irregularities. Trump told the supporters they should march on the Capitol to express their anger at the voting process and pressure their elected officials to reject the results, urging them "to fight." Biden, a Democrat who defeated the Republican president in the November 3 election and is due to take office on January 20, said the activity of the protesters "borders on sedition." The chaos at the Capitol came a day after Biden enjoyed a new triumph, with his Democratic Party projected to win two Senate runoff seats, handing them full control of Congress. Historians said it was the first time that the Capitol had been taken over since 1814 when the British burned it during the War of 1812. For more than two centuries, the joint session of Congress has been a quiet, ceremonial event that formally certifies the election winner -- but Trump urged members of his Republican Party to reject the outcome.

US Senate rejects first objection to Biden certification after pro-Trump mob invades Capitol

Supporters of President Donald Trump staged rallies at statehouses across the United States on Wednesday, remaining more subdued than protesters in Washington who stormed the US Capitol to demand that Trump's election loss be overturned.

From Atlanta to Salem, Oregon, and points in between, Trump backers repeated the outgoing president's false claims that his victory was stolen by massive voter fraud.

Demonstrators posted signs on the Capitol building reading "Stop the steal!" and "Trump won!" the Salt Lake Tribune reported.

Several hundred Trump supporters also staged a "Stop the Steal" rally at the Arizona state Capitol in Phoenix, cheering and jeering while exhibiting a guillotine.

In Georgia, a major courthouse complex and two other government buildings in Atlanta were ordered closed due to protests near the statehouse. Among those disrupted were aides to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, the Republican election official pressured by Trump in a weekend telephone call to "find" enough additional votes for Trump to win the state.

Georgia is among the states won by Democratic President-elect Joe Biden, who will take office in two weeks. 
Staff left their offices early out of an abundance of caution, but Raffensperger was not there, spokesman Walter Jones.

In Oregon's capital, where crowds protesting in favour of Trump and against state COVID-19 restrictions burned an effigy of the Democratic governor, Kate Brown, police declared an unlawful assembly and ordered protesters to disperse. Oregon state police reported at least one person was arrested in Salem on suspicion of harassment and disorderly conduct.

Protesters entered the Kansas statehouse in Topeka and assembled inside the first floor of the Capitol rotunda, though they remained orderly, television station KSNT reported. State police later said the demonstrators had obtained a permit in advance.

In Denver, the Colorado capital, Mayor Michael Hancock instructed city agencies to close early "out of an abundance of caution" after about 700 demonstrators gathered at the statehouse.

Some state workers also went home early in Salt Lake City, in part because of the demonstration of about 400 people outside, Lieutenant Nick Street of the Utah Highway Patrol said. The event was mostly peaceful but for the assault on the news photographer, Street said.

Media reported rallies in other state capitals including Little Rock, Arkansas; Tallahassee, Florida; Madison, Wisconsin; Columbia, South Carolina; and Santa Fe, New Mexico. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Supporters of President Donald Trump staged rallies at statehouses across the United States on Wednesday, remaining more subdued than protesters in Washington who stormed the US Capitol to demand that Trump's election loss be overturned.

Supporters of President Donald Trump staged rallies at statehouses across the United States on Wednesday, remaining more subdued than protesters in Washington who stormed the US Capitol to demand that Trump's election loss be overturned. From Atlanta to Salem, Oregon, and points in between, Trump backers repeated the outgoing president's false claims that his victory was stolen by massive voter fraud. Demonstrators posted signs on the Capitol building reading "Stop the steal!" and "Trump won!" the Salt Lake Tribune reported. Several hundred Trump supporters also staged a "Stop the Steal" rally at the Arizona state Capitol in Phoenix, cheering and jeering while exhibiting a guillotine. In Georgia, a major courthouse complex and two other government buildings in Atlanta were ordered closed due to protests near the statehouse. Among those disrupted were aides to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, the Republican election official pressured by Trump in a weekend telephone call to "find" enough additional votes for Trump to win the state. Georgia is among the states won by Democratic President-elect Joe Biden, who will take office in two weeks. Staff left their offices early out of an abundance of caution, but Raffensperger was not there, spokesman Walter Jones. In Oregon's capital, where crowds protesting in favour of Trump and against state COVID-19 restrictions burned an effigy of the Democratic governor, Kate Brown, police declared an unlawful assembly and ordered protesters to disperse. Oregon state police reported at least one person was arrested in Salem on suspicion of harassment and disorderly conduct. Protesters entered the Kansas statehouse in Topeka and assembled inside the first floor of the Capitol rotunda, though they remained orderly, television station KSNT reported. State police later said the demonstrators had obtained a permit in advance. In Denver, the Colorado capital, Mayor Michael Hancock instructed city agencies to close early "out of an abundance of caution" after about 700 demonstrators gathered at the statehouse. Some state workers also went home early in Salt Lake City, in part because of the demonstration of about 400 people outside, Lieutenant Nick Street of the Utah Highway Patrol said. The event was mostly peaceful but for the assault on the news photographer, Street said. Media reported rallies in other state capitals including Little Rock, Arkansas; Tallahassee, Florida; Madison, Wisconsin; Columbia, South Carolina; and Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Trump supporters stage protests at statehouses across US

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