Trump says his term is ending, transition will be orderly
Category: News & Politics
Via: tessylo • 3 years ago • 38 commentsBy: ZEKE MILLER and JILL COLVIN, AP
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Trump says his term is ending, transition will be orderly
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump for the first time acknowledged his defeat in the Nov. 3 election and announced there would be an “orderly transition on January 20th” after Congress concluded the electoral vote count early Thursday certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.
Trump’s acknowledgment came after a day of chaos and destruction on Capitol Hill as a mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol building and unleashed unprecedented scenes of mayhem as it tried to halt the peaceful transition of power. Members of Congress were forced into hiding, offices were ransacked, and the formal congressional tally halted for more than six hours.
“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 said in a statement posted to Twitter by his social media director. His own account had been locked by the company for posting messages that appeared to justify the assault on the seat of the nation’s democracy.
Trump added, “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!”
The statement was the first time Trump formally acknowledged his loss after spending the last two months refusing to concede and lobbing baseless allegations of widespread voter fraud, even though his own Justice Department, federal courts and state governments have said repeatedly the vote was carried out freely and fairly.
Trump's refusal to accept reality and his incendiary rhetoric reached a breaking point Wednesday when his supporters violently occupied the Capitol in one of the most jarring scenes ever to unfold in a seat of American political power. Authorities said four people died during the violence, including one woman who was shot by an officer outside the House chamber.
Trump had encouraged his supporters to march on the Capitol to protest lawmakers’ actions, and later appeared to excuse the violent occupation by the mob, which forced its way inside and clashed with police.
“These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long,” Trump wrote in a message that was later deleted by Twitter. He added, “Go home with love & in peace. Remember this day forever!”
Trump’s response to the violence underscored his monthslong obsession with trying to overturn the results of the election. He has spent the final days of his presidency angrily stewing and lashing out at Republicans for perceived disloyalty while refusing to acknowledge his loss or concede.
Trump’s statement could not be posted on his Twitter or Facebook feeds because both accounts had been blocked from posting.
Trump spent much of Wednesday afternoon watching the insurrection on television from his private dining room off the Oval Office. But aside from sparing appeals for calm issued at the insistence of his staff, he was largely disengaged. Instead, a White House official said, most of Trump’s attention was consumed by his ire at Vice President Mike Pence, who defied Trump's demands by acknowledging he did not have the power to unliterally choose the next president. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter and spoke only on the condition of anonymity.
Trump only reluctantly issued the tweets and taped a video encouraging an end to the violence. The posts came at the insistence of staff and amid mounting criticism from Republican lawmakers urging him to condemn the violence being perpetrated in his name, according to the official.
And even as authorities struggled to take control of Capitol Hill after protesters overwhelmed police, Trump continued to level baseless allegations of mass voter fraud and praised his loyalists as “very special.”
“I know your pain. I know your hurt. But you have to go home now,” he said in a video posted more than 90 minutes after lawmakers were evacuated from the House and Senate chambers. “We can’t play into the hands of these people. We have to have peace. So go home. We love you. You’re very special.”
The violence, coupled with the president’s tepid response, alarmed many in the White House and appeared to push Republicans allies to the breaking point after years of allegiance to Trump. After four years with no shortage of fraught moments, Wednesday’s events quickly emerged as the nadir of morale in the Trump White House, as aides looked on in horror at the chaos at the Capitol Trump had fomented.
A number of White House aides were discussing a potential mass resignation, according to people familiar with the conversation. And others quickly departed.
Stephanie Grisham, the first lady’s chief of staff and a former White House press secretary, submitted her resignation Wednesday. Deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger, White House social secretary Rickie Niceta and deputy press secretary Sarah Matthews also resigned, according to officials. More departures were expected in the coming days, officials said.
Other aides indicated they planned to stay to help smooth the transition to the Biden administration. And some harbored concerns about what Trump might do in his final two weeks in office if they were not there to serve as guardrails when so few remain.
Trump’s begrudging statement acknowledging defeat came after even longtime allies floated whether members of his Cabinet should invoke the 25th Amendment and remove him from office. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie told ABC late Wednesday that “responsible members of the Cabinet” should be thinking about fulfilling their oath of office, adding that Trump had “violated his oath and betrayed the American people."
Trump has been single-mindedly focused on his electoral defeat since Election Day, aides said, at the expense of the other responsibilities of his office, including the fight against the raging coronavirus. Indeed, it was Pence, not Trump, who spoke with the acting defense secretary to discuss mobilizing the D.C National Guard on Wednesday afternoon.
Hours earlier, Trump had appeared at a massive rally near the White House, where he continued to urge supporters to fight the election results and encouraged them to march to the Capitol in remarks that were peppered with incendiary language and rife with violent undertones. At one point, he even suggested he might join them — a prospect that was discussed by the White House but eventually abandoned.
“We’re going to the Capitol,” he said. “We’re going to try and give our Republicans ... the kind of pride and boldness that they need to take back our country.”
Earlier in the rally, his lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, had advocated what he had called “trial by combat.”
As the violence raged, Republican lawmakers and former administration officials had begged Trump to tell his supporters to stand down.
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"Trump Says His Term Is Ending, Transition Will Be Orderly"
Yeah, right . . .
Too little, and waaaaayyyyyyyy to late!
More than likely someone explained to Trump about the 25th Amendment.
And apparently he was trying to prevent mass resignations, basically he was making even those closest to him hate him. Again, nothing about this is because it is the right thing to do or for the good of the country, it is all about him trying to prevent further embarrassment.
I don't care if there is only two weeks left, invoke the 25th. By doing this, it will also bar him from ever running for public office again. 2024 will come and go with no chance of him trying again. It would not stop his kids from trying though but we can take care of them.
Press impeachment charges again as well. Throw everything at him, make his last 2 weeks fucking suck.
And I was hoping that he'd try to fire Pence.
Sounds like SDNY will be preventing him or his family from ever running for public office again.
Still doesn't clear Trump of the blood on his hands......
Nope, this doesn't make it 'all better'
He is using it as lube. If you ask him, the only downside is more people didn't die.
To these freaks the 'president' says "I love you and you're special"
'Special' indeed
What's hilarious is now the other QAnon dip shits are claiming that dude with the gay ass hat is actually antifa. As usual, the extremists begin eating their own.
They think they're so fierce! Fucking freaks. This fur hatted freak admitted to being a QAnon whackjob.
Apparently QAnon and Antifa are the same group.
A masterclass in the art of God awful tattoos.
He's a traitor, PERIOD.
I think there is a teeny weeny bit of this in Trump this morning
From Trump? Never. Fear yes, acknowledgement of his own insanity, never.
The reason I say there may be a teeny bit of realization in Trump this morning is because he says there will be an orderly handover of the government and this is the first time he has admitted or acknowledged that necessity.
This freak loves what happened. Look what these freaks did for 'dear leader'. He's jerking off to this all. This is what gets him off.
Oh yeah, I have been saying it for about 5 years, Trump loves this kinda shit. he loves seeing how far other people will go for him, especially when they are taking on all the risk and he just gets to enjoy the show. The more things that are destroyed, the more people that are hurt or killed, the better. This just feeds his ego, "look how important I am and how much people love me, they will do what I say and die for me if i want." He loves the power trip. Apparently some of his aides said he was enjoying that shit yesterday.
Yup, this cowardly bully incited all of this, said he'd walk with them to the Capitol, then turned tail and fled back to his bunker to jerk off to the shit show that he created and has poured on the gasoline . . . . .
You may be correct, however I still think it is because someone sat him down and explained the 25th Amendment to him. He either starts acting more adult like, or his own people will fire him with less than 2 weeks remaining.
For Trump's ego, looking like a loser and getting fired, is worse than death.
Not a chance
Yeah. I'm with you. That would require him to have a bit of remorse and a sense of responsibility
Waaaaaaay too late. Fuck you Trump, Biden better press charges against your ass as soon as he takes office.
I don't think Biden can, but his new AG can as it falls under the DOJ.
Which falls under the executive. So to clarify, Biden needs to have his AG, whoever that is, press charges immediately. There has to be punishment for this.
Merrick Garland will be the new AG.
He says this as he is still clinging to his lies.
I havent seen text of it yet, but apparently Bill Barr said today that Trump has betrayed his office.
The rats are really jumping off the ship now as the water gets deeper.
That's exactly what's happening..
Of course there are still some die-hard MAGA nutcases who will never leave this bizarre cult.
But more and more Republican politicians are deserting him.
Half of his admin has or will be resigning. Bye bye rats.
Bill Barr should know that as well as anyone...... given the way he betrayed his position as AG.
Like the mob - they all end up ratting each other out in the end . . . there's more honor in the mafia though . . . this administration is nothing but a bunch of career criminal grifting thug thieves
And we all know trmp never lies.
I think it might be time to hide the football
I just heard on the news that Facebook has banned Trump until after the inauguration. Zuckerberg says there is a threat associated with letting Trump use social media.
I wonder if they actually ever gave this syphilitic ranting blowhard the real codes in the first place.