WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump first acknowledged defeat in November 3 election and announced that there would be an “orderly transition on Jan. 20” after Congress concludes the counting of electoral votes early Thursday certifying the victory of President-elect Joe Biden.
Trump’s recognition came after a day of chaos and destruction on Capitol Hill as a crowd of supporters stormed the Capitol building and unleashed scenes of unprecedented chaos as it tried to stop the peaceful transition of power. Members of Congress were forced into hiding, offices were looted and the formal countdown to Congress was halted for more than six hours.
“While I totally disagree with the outcome of the election and the facts confirm me, there will nevertheless be an orderly transition on January 20,” Trump said in a statement posted to Twitter by his social media director. His own account had been blocked by the company for posting messages that seemed to justify the assault on the nation’s headquarters of democracy.
Trump added, “While this represents the end of the first major term in presidential history, it is only the beginning of our struggle to make America great again.”
The statement was the first time Trump has formally acknowledged his loss after spending the past two months rejecting his concession and pressuring baseless allegations. of widespread electoral fraud, although its own Department of Justice, federal courts and state governments have repeatedly said that voting was conducted freely and equitably.
Trump’s refusal to accept reality and his incendiary rhetoric reached a breaking point on Wednesday when his supporters violently occupied the Capitol in one of the most discordant scenes. never to deploy at a seat of American political power. Authorities said four people died during the violence, including a woman who was shot by an agent outside the House of Representatives.
Trump had encouraged his supporters to march on the Capitol to protest the actions of lawmakers, and later appeared to excuse the violent occupation by the mafia, which was forced into and clashed with police.
“These are the things and events that happen when a sacred election victory collapses so ceremoniously and cruelly of great patriots who have been mistreated and unjustly treated for so long,” Trump wrote in a message that was later deleted by Twitter. He added: “Go home with love and peace. Remember this day forever! “
Trump’s response to the violence revealed his obsession for months to try to overturn the election results. He has spent the last days of his presidency angry at stewing and attacking Republicans for perceiving disloyalty while refusing to acknowledge his loss or admit it.
Trump’s statement could not be posted on his Twitter or Facebook feeds because the posting of both accounts had been blocked.
Trump spent much of Wednesday afternoon watching the uprising on television from his private dining room in the oval office. But aside from sparing appeals of calm launched at the insistence of his staff, he largely disassociated himself. Instead, a White House official said, most of Trump’s attention was consumed by his anger at Vice President Mike Pence, who defied Trump’s demands. in recognizing that he did not have the power to illegally elect the next president. The official was not allowed to discuss the matter and only spoke on condition of anonymity.
Trump only reluctantly posted the tweets and recorded a video encouraging the end of the violence. The charges came at the insistence of staff and amid growing criticism from Republican lawmakers who urged him to condemn the violence perpetrated on his behalf, according to the official.
And even as authorities struggled to control Capitol Hill after protesters overwhelmed police, Trump continued to make unfounded accusations of massive election fraud and praised his loyalists as “very special.”
“I know your pain. I know your evil. But you have to go home, “he said in a video posted more than 90 minutes after lawmakers were evacuated from the chambers of the House and Senate.” We can’t play into the hands of these people. We must have peace. “So go home. We love you. You are very special.”
The violence, along with the president’s lukewarm response, alarmed many in the White House and seemed to push Republican allies to the breaking point after years of loyalty to Trump. After four years without missing serious moments, Wednesday’s events quickly emerged as the nadir of morale in Trump’s White House, as aides watched in horror the chaos of the Capitol that Trump had fostered.
Several White House aides were discussing a possible mass resignation, according to people familiar with the conversation. And others left quickly.
Stephanie Grisham, chief of staff to the first lady and former White House press secretary, resigned Wednesday. Deputy National Security Adviser Matt Pottinger, White House Social Secretary Rickie Niceta and Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Matthews also resigned, officials said. More departures were expected in the coming days, officials said.
Other aides indicated they planned to stay to help smooth the transition to the Biden administration. And some had concerns about what Trump could do in his last two weeks in office if they weren’t there as railings when there were so few left.
Trump’s suspicious statement acknowledging defeat came after even longtime allies floated if members of his cabinet were to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove him from office. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie told ABC on Wednesday afternoon that “responsible cabinet members” should consider fulfilling his swearing-in oath, adding that Trump had “violated his oath and betrayed the American people. “
Talks over the dismissal took place between administration aides and Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill, according to people involved in the deliberations, but there did not appear to be a serious discussion to do so by his cabinet, from the which the majority should vote to set aside.
Trump has focused on his electoral defeat since election day, aides said, at the expense of other responsibilities in his office, including fighting the furious coronavirus. In fact, it was Pence, not Trump, who spoke with the acting secretary of defense to talk about the mobilization of the DC National Guard on Wednesday afternoon.
On Wednesday, Trump effectively banned Pence chief of staff Marc Short from the White House, an official said, believing it had been the engine of Pence’s refusal to annul the vote.
Hours earlier, Trump had appeared at a mass rally near the White House, where he continued to urge supporters to fight election results and encouraged them to march on the Capitol in comments that were full of incendiary language and full of violent nuances. . At one point, he even suggested that he be able to join them, a perspective that was discussed by the White House but eventually abandoned.
“We’re going to the Capitol,” he said. “We will try to give our Republicans … the kind of pride and audacity they need to get our country back.”
Prior to the rally, his lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, had defended what he had called a “combat trial.”
As the violence raged, Republican lawmakers and former administration officials had begged Trump to tell his supporters to step down.