President concedes, condemns Capitol riot
Democratic leaders threaten impeachment
Washington • Donald Trump, facing the possible prospect of being removed from office before the end of his presidential term, conceded the election to Joe Biden and committed to a peaceful transfer of power.
Trump, who as recently as Thursday morning had continued to claim falsely that the election had been stolen from him, said his focus would now turn to ensuring a smooth transition to a Biden administration in a video released on Thursday evening.
The president condemned Wednesday’s violence, saying rioters had defiled the seat of American democracy.
“Serving as your president has been the honour of my lifetime,” Trump said. “And to all of my wonderful supporters, I know you are disappointed, but I also want you to know that our incredible journey is only just beginning.”
The statement was a stark reversal for Trump, who has spent months insisting he prevailed in the Nov. 3 election but was denied victory because of a widespread fraud.
Earlier Thursday, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Party leaders in the U. S. House of Representatives and Senate respectively, demanded Trump’s immediate removal amid outrage at his actions before the Capitol was stormed by a mob of his supporters.
They publicly called on Mike Pence, the vice president, to invoke the 25th amendment to remove a president who is “unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.”
Such a move would need to be backed by Pence and a majority of cabinet. There were media reports that some cabinet members, including U. S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, were discussing the possibility. But a Pence adviser said the vice president, who would have to lead any such effort, was opposed to using the amendment to oust Trump.
If Pence fails to act, Pelosi signalled she would likely reconvene the House to initiate impeachment proceedings, a process where the Congress acts to remove a sitting president.
A handful of Republicans also called for Trump’s removal. The Wall Street Journal editorial page, seen as a leading voice of the Republican establishment, called on Trump to resign on Thursday evening.
In an extraordinary press conference Thursday Pelosi dubbed Trump a “dangerous man,” adding: “A threshold was crossed of such magnitude that there is no way this president should be allowed to make any decision.”
Pelosi also called Trump a “complete tool of Putin,” referring to Vladimir Putin, for the damage he had done to U. S. democracy. She likened the scenes to a “banana republic” as “the president of the country turned on the people” and said she had been inundated with calls for impeachment.
Trump was impeached and acquitted early last year. No U. S. president has ever been impeached twice.
The remarkable developments raise the possibility that Trump could be forced from office even though only 12 days remain before Biden is inaugurated on Jan 20.
The moves reflect a spasm of fury among congressmen and from within the Trump administration at the storming of the Capitol by a proTrump mob on Wednesday as the Senate and the House were certifying Biden’s win.
The president had addressed a crowd of tens of thousands of supporters on Wednesday morning urging them to march to the Capitol to “stop the steal” and show “strength.” Thursday, it was confirmed that four people died in the Capitol building: one was shot and three were due to “medical emergencies.” At least 68 people were arrested and charged with unlawful entry or violating a curfew, although the Justice Department said sedition charges were possible.
The president had released a statement via an adviser’s Twitter account in the middle of Wednesday night when Congress, reconvened after the violence, confirmed 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 wrote. “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!”
After the riot, Trump’s Twitter account was suspended and Facebook announced he was banned from its site and Instagram until he leaves office.
The New York Times reported Thursday that Trump has said in discussions with aides since the November election that he is considering pardoning himself.
The newspaper cited two unidentified people with knowledge of the discussions.
Much of what happens next depends on Pence, who would step into the presidency if Trump was removed via the 25th Amendment.
By Thursday afternoon he had made no public comment.
Pence, a loyal ally of Trump, had resisted the president’s calls for him to throw out the election results as he presided over the Senate proceedings.
Elaine Chao, the U.S. transport secretary, Thursday became the first member of cabinet to resign over the incident. Education Secretary Betsy Devos then became the second.
Michael Mulvaney, Trump’s former chief of staff who still held the role of U.S. special envoy to Northern Ireland, also quit. “I can’t do it. I can’t stay,” he said.
Other resignations included Matthew Pottinger, the deputy national security adviser, Stephanie Grisham, chief of staff to Melania Trump the First Lady, and Sara Matthews, White House deputy press secretary. More were expected.