US Congress certifies Biden win, Trump vows “orderly transition”

The US Congress on Thursday officially certified President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College win in the November 2020 election, in a session that was marred by pro-Trump supporters besieging the Capitol. The final votes in Congress confirm that Biden will be the 46th president of the United States — despite some Republican lawmakers’ challenges and the rampage caused by Trump supporters which resulted in the death of at least 4 people, including a female USAF veteran. Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration is slated to be held on January 20.

Some House and Senate Republicans had planned objections against certifying the Electoral College votes in at least three states — Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania — but several of the lawmakers dropped the idea after the protestors.

US President Donald Trump on early Thursday morning pledged an “orderly transition” when President-elect Joe Biden takes office on January 20, according to a statement released by White House social media director Dan Scavino.

This statement is the first time President Trump is publicly acknowledging that he would leave office on January 20. It came shortly after Congress certified Biden’s 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,” Trump said in the statement. “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”, the statement continued.

President Trump’s Twitter account and his accounts on other social media platforms have all been temporarily suspended since Wednesday.