Donald Trump finally concedes after Congress affirms Biden's win

WASHINGTON: For the first time since the November 2020 election, US President Donald Trump on Thursday conceded against President-elect Joe Biden, saying that there would be an "orderly transition of power" on January 20, shortly after Congress affirmed the Democrat's Electoral College victory.

"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.

"I have always said we would continue our fight to ensure that only legal votes were counted.

"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," Trump said in a statement which was posted on the social media by senior White House aide Don Scavino since Twitter and Facebook temporarily blocked the President.

Trump's statement came shortly after Vice President Mike Pence announced before a joint session of Congress at about 4 am on Thursday that Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris had won 306 votes over his and Trump's 232.

On Wednesday night, lawmakers formally tabulated each State's Electoral College votes — a final step before Biden will be inaugurated as the country's 46th President.

The joint session commenced on Wednesday after thousands of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building — deemed as the citadel of American democracy — on Wednesday afternoon, forcing proceedings to count Electoral College votes cast in the November 3, 2020 presidential election to halt.

Lawmakers had to be evacuated from the House and the Senate, and the Capitol was vandalised.

One of the rioters who broke into the Senate chamber sat in the chair on the dais reserved for the presiding officer while yelling in support of Trump. Another swung from the base of the visitor's gallery, while a third was seen with his feet propped up on a desk in Pelosi's office.

At least four people have been killed, 52 arrested and 14 police officers injured as a result of the violence.

Before the chaos unfolded, Trump told a crowd of supporters earlier in the day that he would "never concede" and had put pressure on the Republicans to challenge the election certification. (IANS)

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