President Donald Trump issued a statement early Thursday morning acknowledging the end of his term, hours after his supporters mobbed the Capitol.
In a statement issued through White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, Trump promised an “orderly transition” on Jan. 20. Trump’s own Twitter account was locked due to earlier tweets that violated Twitter’s “civic integrity” policy.
The statement was released shortly after a joint session of Congress certified the victory of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. The lawmakers returned to finish the process hours after a mob stormed the Capitol building, roamed the halls and fought with officers. One woman was fatally shot.
Months of spreading lies about election fraud culminated in the violent insurrection. Far-right extremists, white nationalists, Neo-Nazis and followers of the QAnon conspiracy movement were among those causing chaos at the Capitol.
