Trump acknowledges new administration
WASHINGTON: ‘‘To the citizens of our country, serving as your president has been the honour of my lifetime . . .’’
Under the threat of a second impeachment, United States President Donald Trump publicly acknowledged yesterday a new administration would be sworn in on January 20 — the closest he has come to a formal concession.
‘‘We have just been through an intense election, and the emotions are high, but now tempers must be cooled and calm restored.’’
The president's address came a day after his supporters stormed the US Capitol as Congress was certifying Presidentelect Joe Biden's victory.
In the Twitter video yesterday, his first post since his account was suspended for 12 hours, Mr Trump condemned the attack and said his focus would now be a smooth transition of power.
But several Democratic leaders and some Republicans have joined the call for his removal in the wake of the violence. — Reuters
WASHINGTON, DC: Congressional Democrats yesterday weighed impeaching President Donald Trump for a second time, after his false claims of election fraud helped encourage a mob that stormed the US Capitol.
Democratic leaders including House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for immediate impeachment proceedings if Vicepresident Mike Pence and Trump’s cabinet refused to take steps to remove Trump from power.
‘‘The president’s dangerous and seditious acts necessitate his immediate removal from office,’’ they said in a statement yesterday, accusing Trump of inciting an ‘‘insurrection’’.
As calls for his ousting mounted yesterday, Trump released a video in which he denounced the violence that left five people dead.
The Republican president came the closest yet to conceding his loss in the November 3 presidential election, promising to ensure a smooth trans ition to a ‘‘new administration’’.
Presidentelect Joe Biden, a Democrat, is set to be sworn in on January 20.
Trump’s words were in stark contrast to his speech on Thursday, when he exhorted a crowd of thousands to descend on the Capitol as Congress met to certify Biden’s election victory.
Rioters stormed the building, overwhelming police and forcing authorities to transport politicians to secure locations for their own safety.
A Capitol police officer died from injuries suffered in the assault, the force said yesterday. A woman protester was fatally shot by the authorities and three people died from medical emergencies.
The FBI offered a reward of up to $50,000 for information on people responsible for placing pipe bombs in the headquarters of the two main United States political parties.
The agency released a picture of a suspect wearing gloves and a hoodie, carrying an object.
Running out of time?
With less than two weeks left in Trump’s term, it was not clear whether enough time remained to complete the impeachment process.
Pelosi has not announced a decision, though she made clear at a news conference that rankandfile Democrats in her caucus wanted action following Thursday’s siege.
If impeached in the House, Trump would theoretically face trial in the Republicancontrolled Senate, which is scheduled to be in recess until January 19.
Aides to Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, have not said what he would do if the House approved articles of impeachment.
The Democraticled House impeached Trump in December 2019 for pressuring the president of Ukraine to investigate Biden, but the Republicanheld Senate acquitted him in February 2020.
Only two other presidents in history have been impeached, and none has ever been impeached twice.
Democrats will control the Senate after sweeping two runoff elections in Georgia on Wednesday, but the new senators, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, will not be sworn in until the state certifies the results.
The state deadline to do so is January 22, although it could come sooner.
Call for ‘healing’
In yesterday’s video, a flattoned Trump struck a conciliatory note seldom seen from him during his presidency, calling for ‘‘healing.’’
As recently as Thursday, however, Trump was still claiming the election had been stolen, and he stopped short of acknowledging his loss.
Since November, Trump has baselessly denounced the election results as ‘‘rigged’’ due to widespread fraud.
The Trump campaign and its allies filed dozens of lawsuits challenging the vote counts but almost all were rejected in state and federal courts.
Election officials have said there is no evidence to back Trump’s claims.
Pelosi and Schumer called on Pence and Trump’s Cabinet to invoke the US 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, according to an adviser.
At least two Republicans, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan and US Representative Adam Kinzinger, said Trump must go.
The Wall Street Journal editorial page, seen as a leading voice of the Republican establishment, yesterday called on Trump to resign.
Several highranking Trump administration officials have resigned in protest over the invasion of the Capitol, including two Cabinet members: Elaine Chao, the transportation secretary and McConnell’s wife, and Betsy DeVos, the education secretary.
At a news conference to introduce his pick for attorneygeneral, Biden blamed Trump for instigating the attack but did not comment on his possible removal.
Congress certified Biden’s election victory on Thursday, after authorities cleared the Capitol. More than half of House Republicans and eight Republican senators voted to challenge some states’ election results, backing Trump.
The president has isolated himself among a small circle of diehard advisers and lashed out at those he perceives as disloyal, including Pence — whom Trump wanted to try to block Congress from certifying Biden’s win — according to sources. — Reuters