The US Congress has formally approved Joe Biden's presidential election win clearing his swearing-in as president on January 20, after pro-Trump rioters violently stormed Capitol Hill in a bid to stop the process.
The declaration was made by Vice President Mike Pence after Congress confirmed the Electoral College tally of states' results that showed Biden's win of the November contest against incumbent President Donald Trump.
Pence certified the Electoral College count of 306 electors in favour of the Democrat against 232 in favour of outgoing Republican President Donald Trump, just hours after he was evacuated from the Capitol amid the violent riots.
Thousands of pro-Trump rioters broke into the Washington DC building, leading to four deaths and the recovery of two bombs.
Following the declaration, Mr. Trump said, "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.' The statement was posted to Twitter by his aides after both Twitter and Facebook blocked his accounts for inciting violence.
Lawmakers now plan to invoke the 25th Amendment to end Mr. Trump's presidency early for causing and failing to stop the chaos. They say he urged protesters to march to the Capitol, ordering them to 'get rid of the weak Congresspeople' saying 'this is the time for strength,' before Rudy Giuliani called for a 'trial by combat'.
Biden called the Capitol siege an 'unprecedented assault unlike anything we've seen in modern times' on US democracy and demanded Trump to 'step up' and 'end this siege'. Biden condemns pro-Trump rioters: 'It's not a protest, it's insurrection'.