Trump promises orderly handover after night of violence at US Capitol
(Update 2, minor edits, changes order)
Washington, Jan 7 (efe-epa).- United States president Donald Trump on Thursday promised an “orderly transition” of power to president-elect Joe Biden, while repeating unfounded claims that the election was fraudulent.
The outgoing president’s first public concession that he will only serve one term comes after a mob of pro-Trump supporters violently stormed the US Capitol building during a joint session of Congress to certify the electoral college votes and rubberstamp Biden’s win.
“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 published on the Twitter account of his advisor, Dan Scavino.
Twitter blocked Trump’s account after he posted a video message in which he told his supporters who were attacking the Capitol building that “we love you”.
“I have always said we would continue our fight to ensure that only legal votes were counted,” he continued.
“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 concluded, repeating his MAGA campaign slogan.
Trump’s announcement that he accepts that he will only serve one term came moments after Biden’s victory had been formally certified by the US Senate.
The protracted joint session hearings that were delayed by three hours while the Capitol building was taken over by the mob ended in the early hours of Thursday morning when the Senate rejected an objection to the result of the November elections in the state of Pennsylvania, the last obstacle before Congress ratified American president-elect Joe Biden’s victory.
By 92 votes in favor and seven against, the Senate voted to dismiss an objection to the results in Pennsylvania that Republican lawmakers had presented in the Lower House with the support of Conservative senator Josh Hawley.
