President Donald Trump made a video statement Thursday night vowing an “orderly transition” after a number of resignations from the West Wing and the Trump Cabinet.
The resignations began Wednesday after the chaos at the Capitol, starting with the first lady’s chief of staff, the White House social secretary, a deputy press secretary and Trump’s deputy national security adviser. Some Republican leaders and Cabinet members reportedly discussed having Trump removed from office by impeachment or through the invocation of the 25th Amendment.
National security adviser Robert O’Brien has told aides he now intends to remain in his position until Trump leaves office, though his plans could still change depending on how Trump approaches the next few days.
He made his decision before Trump released the statement through his deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino‘s Twitter account at 3:50 a.m. ET. The president said, “there will be an orderly transition on January 20” even though he disagreed with the election outcome.
“I have always said we would continue our fight to ensure that only legal votes were counted,” Trump said. “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.”
According to a White House official, this statement was made without the White House press office’s knowledge.
The mob of Trump supporters who bombarded the Capitol stormed both the House and Senate buildings. Trump partisans even lounged in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi‘s office. Both Republicans and Democrats criticized the rioters for entering the legislative chambers and destroying federal property, several lawmakers blaming Trump for the violent outburst.
Joe Biden called on Trump to demand an end to the violence and defend the Constitution on national television. Instead, Trump released a taped video statement on social media, addressing the rioters and urging them to “go home.” But the president appeared to sympathize with them, saying, “We love you. You are very special.”
Once the Capitol was secured again, lawmakers returned from lockdown to the House and Senate chambers, to continue counting the votes on Wednesday night to confirm Biden’s victory, nearly six hours after the violent riots.
