Congress formally
certified Joe Biden as the next US president on Thursday, dealing a hammer blow
to Donald Trump whose supporters stormed the Capitol hours earlier, triggering
unprecedented scenes of mayhem in the seat of American democracy.
Lawmakers in the Senate
and House of Representatives successfully beat back Republican efforts to deny
Biden the electoral votes needed to win, prompting loud cheers when the
certification was announced.
The affirmation of
Biden's 306-232 victory over Trump in November essentially closes the door on
the unparalleled and deeply controversial effort by Trump and his loyalists to
overturn the results of the 2020 election.
The president
immediately released a statement pledging an "orderly transition" but
suggesting he would remain in frontline politics, amid speculation that he may
run again in 2024.
"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," he
said.
"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!"
The certification came
hours after a mob breached the US Capitol and sent lawmakers scrambling for
safety. They were able to return hours later, shaken but determined to complete
the task.
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