US Capitol riots: Trump commits to peaceful transition after Biden certified as President - latest news

• Officials 'discuss 25th amendment to remove Donald Trump' ​

• Everything we know about attack on Capitol

• Proud Boys and neo-Nazis: Who are the protesters? ​

• How dark day for US democracy unfolded 

• Senate hearing resumes

• Tim Stanley: The Republicans are now the party of chaos

Donald Trump has committed to a peaceful transition of power for the first time after Joe Biden was officially certified as President by Congress.

In a statement released on the Twitter page of the White House Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr Trump said he "totally disagreed with the outcome of the election" but confirmed "there will be an orderly transition on January 20th."

Mr Trump's statement came after Congress ratified the outcome of the Electoral College vote, confirming Mr Biden's 306-232 victory over Mr Trump in November's presidential election.

The vote, which was originally scheduled to take place on Wednesday afternoon, was delayed after pro-Trump extremists stormed the US Capitol building following a rally held by the President in which he refused to concede the election. Four people died in Washington, with one woman, a Trump supporter, shot in the Capitol building.

This morning, the US Vice President Mike Pence condemned the violent supporters of President Trump who stormed the US Capitol.

"You did not win. Violence never wins," Mr Pence said of the gang of people who responded to Mr Trump's call to protest his loss in November's presidential election.

Mr Trump earlier doubled down on his false claims of election fraud – even as the US Capitol building was under siege. Twitter, Facebook and Instagram subsequently suspended his accounts. 

Follow the latest updates below.

10:55 AM

Capitol shooting victim pictured

The first pictures of Ashli Babbitt, the woman who was shot and killed at the US Capitol last night, have been released.

Ms Babbitt, a strong Trump supporter who undertook four tours of duty in 14-years according to her husband Aaron, was shot in the chest by a plain clothes officer after trying to enter the House chamber, said Washington Police Chief Robert Contee.

On her Twitter page, Ms Babbitt, 35, described herself as a veteran and a Libertarian, adding: “I love my dude, my dog and above all, my country.”

A fellow Trump supporter who witnessed the shooting told WUSA 9: "A number of police and secret service were saying 'get back, get down, get out of the way'."

"She didn't heed the call and as we kind of raced up to grab people and pull them back they shot her in the neck and she fell back on me."

10:40 AM

Washington DC Mayor extends Emergency Declaration until January 21

Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington DC, has extended an Emergency Declaration imposed on the city yesterday until January 21, the day after Joe Biden's inauguration.

The order empowers city officials to reduce the hours of operation for businesses, order people off the street if a curfew is issued, and expend funds as needed to protect public safety.

Ms Bowser said:  “President Trump continues to fan rage and violence by contending that the Presidential election was invalid,” adding, “some persons can be expected to continue their violent protests through the inauguration.”

10:31 AM

Angry hordes storming the US Capitol reflect Trump's desire for power at all costs

The images of angry hordes storming the US Capitol will forever taint Donald Trump's legacy and marked one of the darkest moments in America's recent political history, says Nick Allen.

As his most fervent supporters scaled the walls of the hallowed seat of US democracy, many Americans watching on television around the country were shocked, appalled and disgusted.

A bitterly divided United States will struggle to recover from a day that shook the country to its foundations.

Watching the anarchic scenes of Trump supporters in red hats wandering the corridors of power, many Republicans will have decided they do not still want to be in a party led by Mr Trump.

READ MORE:  Analysis: Angry hordes storming the US Capitol reflect Trump's desire for power at all costs 

10:18 AM

US media reacts to Capitol breach

10:04 AM

Scenes at Capitol building 'distressing', says Narendra Modi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has tweeted, saying he was "distressed" by the scenes of "rioting and violence" at the US Capitol yesterday.

"Distressed to see news about rioting and violence in Washington DC," he said this morning. "Orderly and peaceful transfer of power must continue. The democratic process cannot be allowed to be subverted through unlawful protests."

09:58 AM

America's democracy rocked in pictures

09:51 AM

'We will not yield to violence', says Emmanuel Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron has delivered a televised address to the American people, in which he said what happened in Washington "is not America".

"Today France stands strongly, fervently and resolutely with the American people and with all people who want to choose their leaders, determine their own destiny and their own lives through free and democratic elections," he said.

"We will not yield to the violence of a few individuals who want to challenge that," he continued. "I want to express our confidence in the strength of American democracy. I want to express our friendship with the American people."

09:42 AM

Donald Trump: We will never give up, we will never concede

Prior to last night's extraordinary scenes, President Trump held a rally in which he is accused of inciting the violence with his aggressive rhetoric. Our video team has pulled together some of his incendiary remarks

09:35 AM

Markets shrug off Capitol Hill chaos

Markets brushed off chaos in Washington DC, with the FTSE 100 steady despite a mob supporting President Donald Trump storming the US Capitol in a violent insurrection that left four dead, reports Louis Ashworth.

European stocks notched up narrow gains as investors looked past violent scenes in the seat of American democracy to focus on joint senate victories that have given the Democrats control of the upper house of the US Congress.

After a manic 24 hours, Congress affirmed Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory over President Donald Trump early on Thursday.

READ MORE:  Markets shrug off Capitol Hill chaos

09:28 AM

US treasury secretary calls Capitol violence 'unacceptable'

US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on Thursday called the violence by supporters of President Donald Trump who stormed the US Capitol building "unacceptable" and said it was "time to respect the democratic process".

"These actions are unacceptable and must stop... Now is the time for our nation to come together as one and to respect the democratic process in the US," Mr Mnuchin said in a joint appearance in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Meanwhile, Mr Netanyahu said that the storming of the U.S. Capitol by demonstrators was "a disgraceful act that must be vigorously condemned".

Calling the incident in Washington a "rampage" Mr Netanyahu said he had "no doubt that "American democracy will prevail", adding: "It always has."

09:23 AM

House members take cover as protesters attempt to enter chamber

09:18 AM

China gloats over chaotic scenes in Washington

China gloated on Thursday over chaotic scenes emerging from Washington as Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building, breaking through clouds of tear gas and hordes of police, reports our China correspondent Sophia Yan.

Official Chinese state outlets tweeted a storm, delighting in schadenfreude and mocking US politicians who had spoken out in support of pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong storming the city’s legislative building in 2018. 

“@SpeakerPelosi once referred to the Hong Kong riots as a ‘beautiful sight to behold’ – it remains yet to be seen whether she will say the same about the recent developments in Capitol Hill,” posted the Global Times, a Communist Party mouthpiece, in pinned tweet. 

“After inciting troubles around the world, US finally tasted ‘karma’ of double standards,” crowed another tweet. The posts, in English, are largely directed to an audience abroad, as Twitter is blocked by government censors in mainland China. 

China’s foreign ministry also crowed that the violence in the US was severe as there were already four deaths linked to the protests, saying Hong Kong police appeared restrained as no deaths had occurred after months of pro-democracy protests in 2019.

A government spokesperson said the protests helped Chinese people “cherish our life today more, love our motherland more” given discord in the US

09:11 AM

Angela Merkel 'saddened and furious' at scenes at US Capitol

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday she was "furious and saddened" by the storming of the US Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump and said the president shared blame for the unrest.

"I deeply regret that President Trump has not conceded his defeat, since November and again yesterday," she said.

"Doubts about the election outcome were stoked and created the atmosphere that made the events of last night possible."

Mrs Merkel called the hundreds of Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol "attackers and rioters" and said she was confident that Biden will be inaugurated as U.S. President in two weeks.

09:01 AM

'There will be an orderly transiton', says Donald Trump

Donald Trump has released a statement this morning, committing to a peaceful transition of power for the first time.

In a statement released on the Twitter page of Dan Scavino, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr Trump said he "totally disagreed with the outcome of the election" but confirmed "there will be an orderly transition on January 20th."

"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 continued.

08:54 AM

'The Republicans must reject Trump - but can the US heal after these shameful scenes?'

The GOP need to reclaim the moderate majority who will have been appalled by the desecration of the Capitol, says Rosa Prince.

READ MORE:  The Republicans must reject Trump - but can the US heal after these shameful scenes?

08:44 AM

Mike Pence: 'Congress accepts Electoral College Results'

Vice-President Mike Pence has declared that Congress accepts the results of the Electoral College vote, officially paving the way for Joe Biden to take office on January 20.

08:36 AM

Congress certifies Biden win

The US Congress has certified 270 Electoral College votes for Joe Biden, confirming that he will become the next President of the United States of America.

With Congress approving Vermont's votes, Biden now has at least 270 Electoral College votes that are the minimum for claiming the presidency. 

Congress is now preparing to ratify the totals from all states, confirming the Electoral College results. Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump 306-232.

08:35 AM

Western democracy is 'fragile and vulnerable', says Iran's Rouhani

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Thursday that the chaos unleashed on the US Capitol by US counterpart Donald Trump's supporters exposed the fragility of Western democracy.

"What we saw in the United States yesterday (Wednesday) evening and today shows above all how fragile and vulnerable Western democracy is," President Rouhani said in a speech broadcast by state television.

"Their democracies aren’t strong and despite being advanced technologically, they have tendency to populism. A populist man came and damaged the reputation of his country. [Trump] dealt severe blows to the American system," he continued.

08:25 AM

Congress certifies Biden's win in Pennsylvania

Further to our post at 7:06am, the House of Representatives has voted to override objections to Joe Biden's win in Pennsylvania by a margin of 282-138.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that following this vote, the House and Senate will reconvene for a joint session to consider the results of November's election.

Earlier the Senate voted 92 to 7 against the effort to discount Pennsylvania's 20 electoral votes for Biden.

08:18 AM

America 'limping on both feet', says Kremlin official

American democracy is "limping on both feet" after the storming of the US Capitol by Donald Trump supporters, a senior Russian lawmaker said Thursday.

"The losing side has more than enough grounds to accuse the winner of falsifications - it is clear that American democracy is limping on both feet," Konstantin Kosachyov, the chair of the Russian upper house's foreign affairs committee, said in a post on Facebook.

"The celebration of democracy has ended. It has, unfortunately, hit rock bottom, and I say this without a hint of gloating."

"America no longer charts the course and so has lost all right to set it. And, even more so, to impose it on others."

Moscow has long bristled at US criticism of the state of Russian democracy under President Vladimir Putin, accusing Washington of hypocrisy and condescension.

08:07 AM

More White House officials resign after Capitol violence

White House deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger has resigned, according to media reports, joining a number of officials who are leaving the administration of Donald Trump in the wake of violence on Capitol Hill.

Mr Pottinger resigned on Wednesday afternoon in response to the President's reaction to a mob of protesters who breached the U.S. Capitol, CNN reported, citing a person close to Mr Pottinger. Bloomberg first reported his resignation, a leading figure in the development of Trump’s China policy.

The White House had no immediate comment.

Two top aides to first lady Melania Trump also resigned on Wednesday, while Mr Pottinger's boss, national security adviser Robert O'Brien, was considering quitting, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Stephanie Grisham resigned as chief of staff to the first lady.

The White House social secretary, Rickie Niceta, also resigned, as did a deputy White House press secretary Sarah Matthews, two sources told Reuters.

There was also talk inside the White House that deputy chief of staff Chris Liddell might resign, a source said.

07:58 AM

'Elizabeth from Knoxville' upset she was maced after storming Capitol

'Elizabeth from Knoxville' is trending on Twitter this morning after a pro-Trump extremist complained about being maced when she stormed the US Capitol.

In an extraordinary video, a woman is filmed complaining that she was sprayed with mace by police after her attempts to breach the building. 

She told a Yahoo journalist that she was "storming the Capitol, it's a revolution!"

However, she still seemed surprised and upset that law enforcement chose to respond: "I made it a foot inside and they pushed me out and they maced me!" she complains, while crying and wiping her face with a towel.

The woman then goes on to identify herself as "Elizabeth from Knoxville, Tennessee".

07:49 AM

What we know so far

A mob of Donald Trump's supporters has stormed the US Capitol in a bid to overthrow November's election result, report our US team.

Dozens of protesters broke into the building and roamed the corridors as tens of thousands gathered outside in support of the president’s false claims of election fraud.

Congressmen who had gathered to certify the election results were forced to flee under escort as law enforcement lost control of the situation.

Four people have died and 52 people have been arrested.

READ MORE:  Four dead in US Capitol riot after Donald Trump's supporters storm Washington - everything we know

07:41 AM

'Words of provocation are completely wrong' says Priti Patel

Home Secretary Priti Patel said on Thursday that the storming of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump was "terrible beyond words" and called on Trump to condemn the violence.

"He should absolutely condemn everything that has taken place," Ms Patel said on Sky News. "He made a statement yesterday and it did very little to de-escalate the situation.... Words of provocation are completely wrong."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson described the scenes in Washington, D.C., as "disgraceful" late on Wednesday.

07:33 AM

Donald Trump supporters storm the Capitol

07:21 AM

Protests erupt across America

07:06 AM

Electoral vote objections delay Biden certification in Congress

Republican lawmakers early Thursday objected to counting Pennsylvania's electors, further delaying the certification of Joe Biden's election victory after the House and Senate rejected an earlier challenge to his win in Arizona.

The overnight scenes in Congress - normally a ceremonial procedure but one that Donald Trump's loyalists have sought to co-opt as the last gasp attempt to keep the president in power - come hours after violent unrest in the US Capitol by pro-Trump rioters interrupted the process.

Senator Josh Hawley joined the objection of dozens of House Republicans over Pennsylvania's electors, prompting the two chambers to debate the challenge.

In the Senate, though, Republican leader Mitch McConnell quickly quashed debate and the chamber voted 92 to 7 to reject the objection.

Debate did proceed in the House, where Scott Perry of Pennsylvania argued that his objection was aimed at safeguarding the US Constitution.

That prompted a fiery rebuttal from Democrat Joe Neguse, who held up a pocket copy of the charter and said: "Under our constitution, Congress doesn't choose the president, the American people do, and they have chosen in resounding numbers."

06:49 AM

'Democracy fractured': How's the world's newspapers reacted

The world's media reacted with shock as supporters of Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol on Wednesday, with the shameful scenes splashed across the front pages. 

As leaders lined up to condemn the chaos unfolding in a country they once relied upon for global leadership, international headlines lamented over the attack on democracy. 

This was The Telegraph's front page this morning.

Here's how the rest of the world's press reacted.

06:22 AM

Investigation into Capitol police response

US lawmakers are vowing an investigation into how law enforcement handled Wednesday's violent breach at the Capitol, questioning whether a lack of preparedness allowed a mob to occupy and vandalise the building.

Capitol Police, who are charged with protecting Congress, turned to other agencies for help with the mob that overwhelmed the complex and sent Congressmen into hiding. Both law enforcement and Trump supporters deployed chemical irritants during the hours-long occupation of the complex before it was cleared Wednesday evening.

Zoe Lofgren, chairwoman of the House Administration Committee, said the breach "raises grave security concerns", adding that her committee will work with House and Senate leaders to review the police response – and its preparedness.

Read more: How could a mob occupy the US Capitol? Siege raises security fears after police were overwhelmed

05:59 AM

More details on four deaths in DC

Four people died and 52 were arrested, Washington's police chief said, after supporters of Donald Trump stormed the Capitol.

In a late night news conference, Metropolitan Police Department Chief Robert J Contee said 47 of the 52 arrests to date were related to violations of Mayor Muriel Bowser's 6pm curfew, with 26 of those involving people arrested on US Capitol grounds.

Several others were arrested on charges related to carrying unlicensed or prohibited firearms.

In addition, MR Contee said, two pipe bombs were recovered from the headquarters of the Republican and Democratic national committees, as well as a cooler from a vehicle on US Capitol grounds that contained Molotov cocktails.

Mr Contee declined to identify the woman a Capitol Police officer shot and killed, saying next of kin notification was still pending.

Three other people also died on Wednesday because of medical emergencies, he added, and 14 police officers were injured - two of whom remain hospitalised.

04:30 AM

'Four died in protest'

Breaking: Four people died on the US Capitol grounds on Wednesday and 52 people have been arrested, Metropolitan Police Department Chief Robert J Contee has just said.

04:18 AM

House rejects bid to overturn election

The US House of Representatives joined the Senate in rejecting a move by allies of President Trump to overturn Joe Biden's victory in Arizona, a vote delayed by rioters earlier pushing their way into the US Capitol.

The House of Representatives voted 303-121 against the measure. 

The Senate voted 93-6 against.

03:49 AM

Can the 25th amendment be used to remove Trump?

Members of Donald Trump's cabinet on Wednesday discussed the possibility of removing the US president from office after his supporters stormed the Capitol, three US news channels reported.

The discussions focused on the 25th amendment to the US Constitution, which allows for a president's removal by the vice president and cabinet if he is judged "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office."

CNN quoted unnamed Republican leaders saying the 25th amendment had been discussed, saying they had described Trump as "out of control."

It is not the first time during his presidency that the amendment has been mentioned in relation to Mr Trump. 

Read more: What is the 25th amendment and can it be used to remove the president?

03:00 AM

Republicans drop resistance to election result

Multiple Republican senators have reversed course and now say they will not object to congressional certification of President-elect Joe Biden's victory.

Senators Steve Daines of Montana, Mike Braun of Indiana and Kelly Loeffler of Georgia all said in light of the violence they would stand down from planned objections to Mr Biden's win.

Ms Loeffler said that the "violence, the lawlessness, and siege of the halls of Congress" were a "direct attack" on the "sanctity of the American democratic process".

All three had previously signed on to Mr Trump's false claims of widespread voter fraud to explain his defeat.

Ms Loeffler has just days left in her term after she lost her Senate race to Democrat Raphael Warnock on Wednesday.

02:52 AM

Top Republicans turn their backs on Trump

A wave of top officials quit the White House on Wednesday, turning their back on Donald Trump hours after the US Capitol was stormed by his supporters.

A number of White House staff, including Sarah Matthews, the deputy press secretary, and Stephanie Grisham, Melania Trump's chief of staff, resigned effective immediately. It was also reported on Wednesday evening that Chris Liddell, the president's deputy chief of staff, has quit.

The US media reported that Mr Trump's Cabinet secretaries were discussing invoking the 25th Amendment to remove the president. The amendment theoretically allows for the removal of a president who is incapacitated or unwilling to perform their duties.

Seventeen Democratic congressmen signed a letter on Wednesday night calling on Mike Pence to enact the amendment and remove Mr Trump.

Read more: Top Republicans turn on Trump after day of chaos

02:43 AM

'Suspicious device and Molotov cocktails found'

A suspicious device was found outside the Republican National Committee's headquarters earlier today and detonated by a bomb squad.

CNN is also reporting that officers found Molotov cocktails near the scene and have arrested a suspect.

02:24 AM

Ivanka Trump's sister-in-law: I tried to tell her to accept defeat

Ivanka Trump's sister-in-law said she has tried unsuccessfully to convince the president's daughter that he lost the election.

Karlie Kloss, a model who is married to the brother of Jared Kushner, Ms Trump's husband and a senior figure in the Trump administration, posted on Twitter that "accepting the results of a legitimate democratic election is patriotic."

When told by a Twitter user to tell that to her sister- and brother-in-law, she said: "I've tried".

Mr Trump and his family have continued to spread baseless claims that he won the election in November.

02:17 AM

Woman killed in Capitol 'was military veteran'

A US Air Force veteran has been identified as the protester killed in the Capitol building.

Ashli Babbit, who was married and lived near San Diego, California, was fatally shot in the chaos, her husband told US news channel KUSI.

Babbit, a Trump supporter, served for 14 years in the service and had been involved in four tours of duty, the channel reported.

01:27 AM

Obama: attack on Congress 'great shame' but 'not surprising'

Former President Barack Obama has said that history will rightly remember the violence at the Capitol as a moment of great dishonour and shame for the nation.

In a statement, Mr Obama said the violence was "incited by a sitting president" who baselessly lied about the outcome of the presidential election. He has convinced his supporters of a false claim, that he lost the election to President-elect Joe Biden only because Democrats cheated.

Mr Obama said it should not have come as a surprise, and that for two months "a political party and its accompanying media ecosystem has too often been unwilling to tell their followers the truth."

He said "their fantasy narrative has spiraled further and further from reality, and it builds upon years of sown resentments. Now we're seeing the consequences, whipped up into a violent crescendo."

01:19 AM

Rioters could face severe punishments

Donald Trump's "patriots " might be in a little bother, at least judging by a tweet in July, writes David Millward.

01:17 AM

Who stormed the Capitol?

The storming of the US Capitol is a jarring but natural product of years of violence and hateful rhetoric stoked by disinformation and conspiracy theories, experts on far-right extremism said as they watched Wednesday’s riot.

Members of far-right groups, including the Proud Boys, joined the crowds that formed in Washington to cheer on President Trump as he urged them to protest Congress’s counting of Electoral College votes confirming President-elect Joe Biden’s win.

Then they headed to the Capitol. Members of smaller white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups also were spotted in the crowds. Police were photographed stopping a man identified as a leading promoter of the QAnon conspiracy theory from storming the Senate floor.

Online forums popular with Trump supporters lit up with gleeful posts about the chaotic scenes broadcast from the Capitol. Thousands of messages on Parler, a right-wing alternative to Twitter, included the hashtag #civilwar or other variations of the term.

Read more: Proud Boys and neo-Nazis: Who are the protesters who stormed the US Capitol?

12:50 AM

Trump supporters protesting across US

Protesters backing President Trump massed outside statehouses from Georgia to New Mexico on Wednesday, leading some officials to evacuate while cheers rang out at several demonstrations.

Hundreds of people gathered in state capitals nationwide to oppose President-elect Joe Biden's win, waving signs saying "Stop the steal" and "Four more years." Most of them didn't wear masks amid the coronavirus pandemic, and some carried guns in places like Oklahoma, Georgia, Arizona and Washington.

There were some scuffles in states like Ohio and California, with some instances of journalists or counter-protesters being pepper-sprayed or punched, but most demonstrations were peaceful – some of them quite small – and only a few arrests were reported.

New Mexico police evacuated staff as a precaution from a state building that includes the governor's office and the secretary of state's office, shortly after hundreds of flag-waving supporters arrived in a vehicle caravan and on horseback.

12:41 AM

Melania Trump's chief of staff quits

Stephanie Grisham, the former White House press secretary and the chief of staff for first lady Melania Trump, has resigned following the protesters, officials told CNN.

Ms Grisham was one of the longest-serving officials in the Trump team. She worked or Donald Trump on the campaign trail in 2015 and was later a deputy press secretary in the White House.

Mr Grisham became the first lady's most prominent staffer in 2017.

12:36 AM

Woman shot during riot has died

A woman has died after being shot during the storming of the US Capitol, a spokeswoman for the Washington police department said.

No other details were available, the spokeswoman said. It remained unclear who shot the woman, but a witness said the shooting occurred after law enforcement authorities urged people to "get back".

A protester from New Jersey told Washington CBS affiliate WUSA that he witnessed the woman being shot.

"We had stormed into the chambers inside, and there was a young lady who rushed to the windows; a number of police and Secret Service were saying, 'Get back, get down, get out of the way,'" he said. "She didn't heed the call and as we kind of raced up to grab people and pull them back, they shot her in the neck, and she fell back on me."

The man told the local television station he saw blood coming from the woman's mouth and neck and nose.

“It could have been me, but she went first,” he said.

12:30 AM

How it started... how it's going

12:27 AM

Twitter suspends Trump account

Twitter has suspended Donald Trump's account following a spate of false claims about election fraud that appear to have egged on the violent scenes in Washington on Wednesday.

Twitter said it locked Mr Trump’s account for repeatedly violating its rules and that it would remain locked until the president deleted the posts.

The social media giant has faced growing calls to remove Trump's account for spreading misinformation and inciting violence.

Read more: Twitter removes Trump account amid criticism of failing to prevent lies

12:17 AM

Hearing will resume, says Pelosi

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said lawmakers will resume counting electoral votes on Wednesday once the US Capitol is given an all-clear, after the certification process was halted when Donald Trump supporters stormed the building.

"We have decided we should proceed tonight at the Capitol once it is cleared for use," Ms Pelosi said in a letter to colleagues, after reports that the building was secured by police and demonstrators were removed.

The senior lawmaker blasted the storming of the Capitol as a "shameful assault" on American democracy that was "anointed at the highest level of government, but said "it cannot, however, deter us from our responsibility to validate the election of Joe Biden."

The House had been meeting to certify the results of the election.

On Wednesday Democrats won both Senate seats up for grabs in Georgia following a run-off election.

Read more: How the dramatic day unfolded in Washington

12:11 AM

George Bush condemns 'banana republic'

Former US president George Bush has condemned the "sickening and heartbreaking sight" at the US Capitol and said he is "appalled by the reckless behavior of some political leaders since the election".

In a statement, Mr Bush appeared to attacked Donald Trump and the Republicans for the "the lack of respect shown today for our institutions, our traditions, and our law enforcement" and accused them of spreading "falsehoods".

He added: "This is how election results are disputed in a banana republic."

12:00 AM

Chaos in Washington – the top stories

• The National Guard are trying to clear the US Capitol after violent Trump supporters stormed the building on Wednesday

• One woman was killed and several were injured as extremists clashed with police

• Senators and Congressmen were forced to flee for safety as protesters broke in

• The offices of politicians such as Nancy Pelosi were ransacked

• Donald Trump told supporters to "go home" but continued to repeat false claims of election fraud

• President-elect Joe Biden called for calm and said the protests were an "insurrection"

• Senators had been meeting to confirm the results of the US election but the process was abandoned

Read more: Everything we know about the siege in Washington