LIVE | 'I want him out': Fresh calls for Trump to resign after Capitol violence

Step down now, Mr President

Donald Trump faced fresh calls Sunday from some members of his own party to resign over the violent incursion into the US Capitol, as the threat builds for a historic second impeachment effort in his final 10 days in the White House.

With the January 20 inauguration of Democrat Joe Biden fast approaching - and with the country hit by a surging pandemic, a flagging economy, and searing division - resignation "is the best path forward," Republican Senator Pat Toomey told CNN, adding, "That would be a very good outcome."

Toomey said that since losing the November 3 election, Trump had "descended into a level of madness and engaged in activity that was absolutely unthinkable".

He said Trump's behavior after the election was "wildly different" from what it was before.

Pope urges US to protect democracy, shun violence after mob attack

Pope Francis urged Americans on Sunday to shun violence, seek reconciliation and protect democratic values, following the mob attack on the US Capitol building by supporters of President Donald Trump that left five people dead.

"I repeat that violence is self-destructive, always. Nothing is gained by violence and so much is lost," the pope said in his Sunday address.

It was the second time in as many days that the pope, who visited the United States in 2015 when Barrack Obama was president, spoke out on the violence in the Washington, DC.

Dozens of people have been charged following the storming of the Capitol on Wednesday, with the FBI asking the public to help identify participants, given the proliferation of images of the riots on the internet. The five people who died included a police officer.

"I appeal to the authorities of the country and to the entire population to maintain a lofty sense of responsibility in order to calm things down, promote national reconciliation and protect democratic values that are rooted in American society," Francis said.

He said he wanted to send "an affectionate greeting" to all Americans whose country had been "shaken by the recent siege on Congress".

Francis also said he was praying for those who died and that all Americans would "keep alive a culture of encounter, a culture of caring, as the master way to build together the common good".

In advance excerpts on Saturday of a television interview to be aired on Sunday night, Francis said it was important to understand what had gone wrong and to learn from it.

"(Fringe) groups that are not well inserted into society sooner or later will commit this sort of violence," he said in the television interview.

Francis has had a rocky relationship with Trump, who visited the Vatican in 2017, disagreeing with him on a spate of issues, including immigration and climate change.

- AFP

Trump has not ordered flags flown at half-mast to honour police officer killed in the Capitol riot

US President Donald Trump has not ordered flags to be flown at half-mast over federal government buildings in honour of Brian D. Sicknick, the police officer killed in the storming of the Capitol on Wednesday.

US Vice President Mike Pence to attend Biden inauguration: reports

Mike Pence will attend the upcoming inauguration of Joe Biden, multiple media reports said Saturday, the vice president becoming the latest longtime loyalist to abandon an increasingly isolated President Donald Trump.

Relations between Trump and Pence -- previously one of the mercurial president's staunchest defenders -- have nosedived since Wednesday, when the vice president formally announced Biden's victory in November's election. A mob of far-right demonstrators stormed the US Capitol the same day in a failed bid to stop Congress from certifying Biden's win, in a riot blamed on Trump that left five dead.

Multiple media reports on Saturday cited senior administration officials as saying that Pence -- who was forced to take shelter from the intruders during the riot -- had decided to attend Biden's inauguration on January 20.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned that Democrats would launch the process unless Trump resigned or Pence invoked the 25th Amendment, in which the cabinet removes the president from office. While Pence has not spoken publicly on the subject, the New York Times reported Thursday he was against invoking the mechanism, never used before in US history.

- AFP

Short on alternatives, fans trash Twitter's Trump ban - on Twitter

President Donald Trump was banned from Twitter for 'inciting violence' - followed by Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitch. Some supporters complained on Twitter, while others moved to conservative alternative social media platforms to vent their anger. Amazon, Google and Apple have removed one of these platforms, Parler, from their app stores.

Friends, family and advisors to Donald Trump have been bitterly complaining that Twitter's ban of the president after his supporters stormed the US Capitol amounts to an assault on free speech by radical leftists. Ironically, given the enormous influence of the platform, they have aired their grievances first of all on... Twitter - a choice underscoring the platform's huge readership and the relative paucity of alternatives.

Increasingly isolated Trump threatened with second impeachment

US Democrats on Saturday were readying for an unprecedented second impeachment of Donald Trump as the defiant president showed no signs of stepping down after the deadly violence at the Capitol.

Democrats said impeachment proceedings could begin as early as Monday -- an extraordinary acceleration of a process that historically has taken weeks, but one that might not be completed before President-elect Joe Biden is sworn into office on January 20.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned that Democrats will launch the process unless Trump resigns or Vice President Mike Pence invokes the 25th Amendment, where the cabinet removes the president.

Apple, Amazon suspend Parler social network from App Store and web hosting service

Apple Inc and Amazon.com Inc have suspended Parler from their respective App Store and web hosting service, saying the social networking service popular with many right-leaning social media users has not taken adequate measures to prevent the spread of posts inciting violence.

The action by Apple and Amazon follows a similar move by Alphabet Inc's Google on Friday. Parler is favored by many supporters of US President Donald Trump, who was permanently suspended from Twitter on Friday, and it is seen as a haven for people expelled from Twitter.

Apple had given Parler 24 hours to submit a detailed moderation plan, pointing to participants' using the service to coordinate Wednesday's siege of the US Capitol. Amazon's move effectively takes the site offline unless it can find a new company to host its services.

Amazon suspended Parler from its Amazon Web Services (AWS) unit, for violating AWS's terms of services by failing to effectively deal with a steady increase in violent content, according to an email by an AWS Trust and Safety team to Parler, seen by Reuters. An Amazon spokesperson confirmed the letter was authentic.

- Reuters

Biden says Trump impeachment is for Congress to decide

US President-elect Joe Biden says it is up to Congress to decide on Donald Trump's impeachment.

Twitter warns that it has seen discussion of a 'secondary attack' on the US Capitol

Twitter decided to permanently suspend President Donald Trump's account after concluding that his posts were being read as incitement to commit future acts of violence like that seen at the US Capitol this week.

Trump considered deploying the national guard to US Capitol, NYT says – to protect his supporters

President Donald Trump considered using the National Guard to protect the crowd of his supporters who went on to ransack the US Capitol, according to The New York Times.

RECAP | Democrats consider second Trump impeachment after Capitol siege

Congressional Democrats accused US President Donald Trump of inciting insurrection and weighed up impeaching him for a second time after supporters fired up by his false claims of election fraud stormed the US Capitol this week.

Amid mounting calls for his removal from office, Trump finally denounced the violence that left five people dead, including a police officer. In a video released on Thursday evening, the Republican president called for reconciliation and also promised a smooth and orderly transition of power.

In the immediate aftermath of Wednesday's assault, which halted a session of Congress held to certify Democrat Joe Biden's election win, Trump had declined to condemn the protesters but told them he loved them and repeated his claim that he was being cheated of victory.

House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called on Vice President Mike Pence and Trump's Cabinet to invoke the Constitution's 25th Amendment, which allows them to strip the president of his powers if he cannot discharge the duties of his office. Pence opposes the idea, an adviser said.

Pelosi and Schumer, along with other Democratic leaders, called for immediate impeachment proceedings if Pence and the Cabinet refuse to take steps to remove Trump from power. Biden is due to take office on 20 January.

"The president's dangerous and seditious acts necessitate his immediate removal from office," they said in a statement on Thursday evening, accusing Trump of inciting an "insurrection".

Trump's video on Thursday was the closest he has come to conceding defeat in the Nov. 3 election, as he promised a smooth transition to a "new administration," after weeks of making false claims the election was rigged and there was massive electoral fraud.

In a speech on Wednesday, Trump had exhorted a crowd of thousands to descend on the Capitol. Rioters stormed the building, overwhelming police and forcing authorities to transport lawmakers to secure locations for their own safety.

A Capitol police officer died from injuries sustained in the assault, the force said on Thursday. A woman protester was fatally shot by the authorities, and three people died from medical emergencies.

- Reuters

Pompeo says US not 'banana republic' after mob attacks Capitol

Washington – Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday hit back at assertions that a mob attack on the Capitol showed the United States to be a "banana republic", alleged by foreign critics, as well as former president George W. Bush.

"The slander reveals a faulty understanding of banana republics and of democracy in America," the Trump loyalist and top US diplomat wrote on Twitter.

 - AFP

Police chief resigns after pro-Trump attack on US Capitol - source

Washington – The US Capitol police chief handed in his resignation on Thursday, a day after Congress was invaded by a mob egged on by President Donald Trump, a source close to the agency told AFP.

Steven Sund "is resigning effective January 16, 2021", the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP, hours after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for his resignation, following sharp rebukes for what many criticised as a lack of preparation.

 - AFP

Four more Trump national security aides resign - sources

WASHINGTON – Four more senior advisers in the White House National Security Council have resigned following the storming of the US Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump, according to a senior administration official and a person familiar with the matter.

The sources told Reuters that the officials who stepped down on Thursday, in a growing exodus of Trump aides, were: Erin Walsh, senior director for African affairs; Mark Vandroff, senior director for defence policy; Anthony Rugierro, senior director for weapons of mass destruction; and Rob Greenway, senior director for Middle Eastern and North African affairs.

 - REUTERS

Facebook bans Trump 'indefinitely' for inciting violence

San Francisco – Facebook has banned President Donald Trump from the platform "indefinitely" due to his efforts to incite violence at the US Capitol, chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said on Thursday.

Zuckerberg said a one-day ban imposed on Trump's accounts on Facebook and Instagram was extended because of Trump's "use of our platform to incite violent insurrection against a democratically elected government".

The announcement came the day after the outgoing US leader was locked out of all major social media platforms due to his false claims about the legitimacy of his loss to president-elect Joe Biden, and for inciting the angry mob that stormed the US Capitol.

"We believe the risks of allowing the president to continue to use our service during this period are simply too great," Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook page.

"Therefore, we are extending the block we have placed on his Facebook and Instagram accounts indefinitely and for at least the next two weeks until the peaceful transition of power is complete."

 - AFP

US Capitol police officer dies of injuries suffered during riot by Trump supporters

US Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick died of injuries suffered when supporters of President Donald Trump assaulted the legislative building, the force said on Thursday, bringing to five the number dead from the riot.

Wednesday's breach of the US Capitol building was a stunning assault on American democracy when lawmakers were in the building certifying the victory of president-elect Joe Biden.

"Officer Sicknick was responding to the riots...and was injured while physically engaging with protesters," police said in a late-night statement.

Shopify removes stores affiliated with Trump

Canada's Shopify Inc took down stores on its e-commerce platform affiliated with US President Donald Trump on Thursday, a day after hundreds of his supporters stormed the US Capitol.

Shopify said the recent events determined that Trump's actions violated its policy, which prohibits promotion or support of organizations, platforms or people that threaten or condone violence to further a cause.

- Reuters

JUST IN | 14 arrested for rioting and looting at Capitol

The US Capitol Police said on Thursday it had arrested 14 suspects in connection with rioting and looting by President Donald Trump's supporters at the Capitol on Wednesday.

Most of the suspects were charged with unlawful entry, though several others face charges such as assaulting a police officer and carrying unlicensed firearms or ammunition.

- Reuters

Twitter, Facebook freeze Trump accounts as tech giants respond to storming of US Capitol

Twitter, Facebook and Snap temporarily locked the accounts of US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, as tech giants scrambled to crack down on his baseless claims about the US presidential election amid riots in the capital.

Twitter hid and mandated the removal of three of Trump's tweets "as a result of the unprecedented and ongoing violent situation in Washington, D.C.", after pro-Trump protesters stormed the US Capitol in an attempt to force Congress to block the appointment of president-elect Joe Biden.

Four people died on Capitol grounds in the chaos, including a woman who was shot and killed inside the building.

The president and his allies for months have amplified unsubstantiated claims of election fraud, driving the organising for the day's demonstration.

Trump said in a tweet on Wednesday, later taken down by Twitter, that the storming of the building was a natural response. He also blamed Vice President Mike Pence for lacking "courage" to pursue the claims of election fraud.

Twitter locked Trump's account until 12 hours after he deletes those tweets and a video in which he alleged the presidential election was fraudulent and urged protesters to go home.

If the tweets are not deleted, the account will remain locked.

Facebook and YouTube, owned by Alphabet's Google, likewise removed the video.

 - REUTERS

RECAP | Joe Biden's Presidency victory certified, against backdrop of horror protest at the Capitol

Hours after hundreds of President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in a harrowing assault on American democracy, a shaken Congress on Thursday formally certified Democrat Joe Biden’s election victory.

Immediately afterward, the White House released a statement from Trump in which he pledged an "orderly transition" when Biden is sworn into office on 20 January, although he repeated his false claim that he won the November election. Just the previous day, the Republican president had seemingly incited a mob to swarm the Capitol seeking to overturn the election result.

The destructive and shocking images at the Capitol of what other Republicans called an "insurrection" filled television screens in America and around the world, a deep stain on Trump's presidency and legacy as his tenure nears its end.

Police said four people died during the chaos - one from gunshot wounds and three from medical emergencies - and 52 people were arrested.

Some besieged the House chamber while lawmakers were inside, banging on its doors. Security officers piled furniture against the chamber's door and drew their pistols before helping lawmakers and others escape.

The assault on the Capitol was the culmination of months of divisive and escalating rhetoric around the 3 November election, with Trump repeatedly making false claims that the vote was rigged and urging his supporters to help him overturn his loss.

ICYMI: 

4 dead, 52 arrested after Trump supporters storm US Capitol

WASHINGTON – Four people died and 52 were arrested, Washington DC's police chief said, after supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol on Wednesday to stop Congress from certifying president-elect Joe Biden's election victory.

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 18:00 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.

US Congress certifies enough Electoral College votes to give Joe Biden election win

WASHINGTON – The US Congress on Thursday certified enough Electoral College votes for Democrat Joe Biden to hand him the victory in the 3 November presidential race over Republican President Donald Trump.

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

How Trump in his final weeks incited his followers to storm the Capitol and attempt a coup

 - President Donald Trump incited his supporters to "stop the steal" at a "Save America" rally on Wednesday, encouraging them to object to the election results and "fight" for him.

 - "You don't concede when there's theft involved. Our country has had enough and we will not take it any more," he declared. "And we fight. We fight like hell and if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore."

 - The president then sat by, watching cable news as those supporters broke into the Capitol, blocking lawmakers from certifying President-elect Joe Biden's victory.

Some White House officials are resigning in the wake of the violent siege on the Capitol

 - Some White House officials resigned from their posts following a violent siege of the US Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters on Wednesday.

 - Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Matthews, Melania Trump's Chief of Staff Stephanie Grisham, and Deputy National Security Adviser Matthew Pottinger all resigned on Wednesday.

 - Reports say Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien, and Deputy Chief of Staff Chris Lidell may also resign.

Pro-Trump rioters gathered outside statehouses and lawmakers' homes nationwide

 - As the historic and riotous storming of the US Capitol unfolded, extremists loyal to the president also converged on state capitols across the country refusing to accept Trump's loss and pushing conspiracies.

 - Although many of the state-based gatherings were less physically violent than the provocations in DC, several statehouses closed or evacuated staff out of caution.

 - In Washington state, pro-Trump extremists breached the Governor's mansion and were cleared by Washington State Patrol, while Governor Jay Inslee and his family were moved to a safe location.

US Congress rejects first challenge to certifying Biden election victory

Washington – The US Senate and House late on Wednesday overwhelmingly rejected the objection by some Republican lawmakers to certifying Arizona's electoral vote for Joe Biden, after a riot by Donald Trump supporters forced a delay in the process.

Senators voted 93 to 6 against the effort to reject Arizona's 11 electoral votes, overcoming the first of what may be multiple hurdles to the November presidential election's certification.

The House of Representatives voted 303-121 against the objection, with 82 Republicans siding with the Democrats.

Mob storms US Capitol as Trump accused of 'coup'

Donald Trump's supporters stormed a session of Congress held Wednesday to certify Joe Biden's election win, triggering unprecedented chaos and violence at the heart of American democracy and accusations the president was attempting a coup.

Vowing not to be deterred, lawmakers resumed business after dark and the Senate soundly rejected the first of several expected challenges to Biden's win, with several Trump loyalists reversing course in the wake of the violence that drew condemnation around the world.

Egged on in an extraordinary rally across town by an aggrieved Trump, a flag-waving mob broke down barricades outside the Capitol and swarmed inside, rampaging through offices and onto the usually solemn legislative floors.

US Capitol locked down as Trump supporters breach barriers and clash with police

 - The US Capitol went into lockdown Wednesday as throngs of American President Donald Trump's supporters breached barriers around the building and clashed with Capitol Police.

 - The clashes came as Congress convened to officially certify the results of the 2020 general election.

 - The process is typically pro forma, but it's in the spotlight this year given Trump's groundless assertion that Congress and Vice President Mike Pence have the power to throw out some states' electoral votes based on unsubstantiated claims of fraud. 

 - The outgoing president spoke at a "March for Trump" rally shortly before Congress convened, and video footage showed Trump's supporters breaching barriers around the Capitol building and attempting to occupy it.

Pro-Trump protesters storm US Capitol while congress was debating Biden's victory

The US Capitol was put on lockdown on Wednesday as crowds protesting President-elect Joe Biden's victory breached security barricades while Congress was debating the certification of his electoral win over President Donald Trump, according to Reuters eyewitnesses.

The Senate and the House, which were weighing objections to Biden's victory, abruptly and unexpectedly recessed.

Trump refuses to accept election defeat: 'You don't concede when there's theft involved'

Outgoing US President Donald Trump addressed thousands of supporters at a rally in Washington protesting Wednesday's meeting of Congress to confirm Joe Biden's victory in November's presidential election.

Trump, who has spent much of his time since then in a failed effort to reverse his defeat, falsely said he won the election as he spoke on an outdoor stage framing the White House, which Biden is due to take over in two weeks.

Crowds gathered at the "Save America March" wore Trump-approved red baseball caps and cheered as Trump repeated the groundless conspiracy theories that have consumed his final days in office.