Several American lawmakers are calling for US President Donald Trump to be impeached following the chaos in Washington DC on Thursday.
Trump protesters stormed the Capitol building while Congress was attempting to count and certify the election victory of Democrat Joe Biden.
The building was forced into lockdown before lawmakers had to flee to safety when protesters made it past police and into the Senate chamber.
What you need to know:
- At least five people died during the protests, including a female Trump supporter who was shot inside the building and a police officer.
- Washington DC was given a curfew for 6pm and protests died down at night, allowing Congress to reconvene. Several objections were made by Republicans, however it did not change the outcome. Joe Biden was certified as the winner of the US election at around 3:30am (local time).
- Several staff members of Donald and Melania Trump have resigned due to the riots.
- Trump has confirmed there will now be an orderly transition of power. Biden is due to take office on January 20 after his inauguration.
- Twitter has imposed a 12-hour block on Trump's account which could be made permanent, for comments made on the platform which were deemed to be inciting violence. Trump's Facebook account has also been locked for the rest of his presidency.
- White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany delivered a speech "on behalf of the entire White House" saying the violence was "appalling, reprehensible and antithetical to the American way".
- Around 60 Democratic members of the US House of Representatives have already pledged support to the impeachment against Trump, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar tweeted.
- The chief of Capitol police Steven Sund has resigned following calls from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Live updates have now finished.
7:10pm - Congresswoman Ilhan Omar says impeachment will happen "most likely tomorrow".
6:50pm - The United States will find it harder to advocate for democracy and rule of law abroad after the assault on the US Capitol unless it grapples with President Donald Trump's role in the violence, current and former US diplomats said.
6:10pm - US Capitol Police said late on Thursday (US Time) that a police officer named Brian Sicknick died due to injuries sustained in response to the riot led by supporters of US President Donald Trump on Wednesday at the US Capitol.
"Officer Sicknick was responding to the riots on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, at the US Capitol and was injured while physically engaging with protesters", the police said in a statement, adding he passed away on Thursday night.
"He returned to his division office and collapsed. He was taken to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. "
- Reuters
5:25pm - The FBI is offering up to $50,000 for information leading to the location, arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the placement of suspected pipe bombs in Washington DC on Thursday. Two suspected pipe bombs were found at the RNC and DNC headquarters.
4:50pm - Four more senior advisers in the White House National Security Council have resigned following the storming of the US Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump, according to a senior administration official and a person familiar with the matter.
The sources told Reuters that the officials who stepped down on Thursday, in a growing exodus of Trump aides, were: Erin Walsh, senior director for African affairs; Mark Vandroff, senior director for defense policy; Anthony Rugierro, senior director for weapons of mass destruction; and Rob Greenway, senior director for Middle Eastern and North African affairs.
- Reuters
4:45pm - The New York Times is reporting that Donald Trump and the first family may leave the White House on January 19, a day before Joe Biden will be inaugarated. Typically, the outgoing family will meet with the new President on January 20 before leaving. The Obamas met with the Trump family back in 2017.
4:25pm - One unmissable face from photos of the US Capitol riot on Thursday is that of an odd-looking man donning a pair of large horns, fur, and claiming he was a paid actor at a Black Lives Matter protest.
4:05pm - The NZ Herald reports that Kiwi Chris Liddell will not be resigning as Donald Trump's Deputy Chief of Staff. Liddell, who is in charge of the presidential transition process, reportedly flirted with the idea following the riots. But he has told the Herald he will stay on to work on the transition.
3:55pm - Here's a look at the major resignations since the Capitol riot on Thursday. You can add Elinore McCance-Katz to this list. McCance-Katz, the assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, has just announced she is going, according to US media reports.
3:50pm - The Wall Street Journal has called for Donald Trump to resign, urging the outgoing President to take personal responsibility for stirring up a mob that violently stomped the Capitol in Washington DC on Thursday.
The paper, owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp and sympathetic to Trump, published an article by its editorial board - known for its conservative views - on Friday saying "the best outcome would be for [Trump] to resign to spare the US another impeachment fight".
3:30pm - The storming of the US Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump reflects a failure of leadership as well as the deep divide running through American society, editorials in China's state media said on Friday.
The Global Times, a tabloid owned by the People's Daily, the ruling Communist Party newspaper, described the riots as a sign of "internal collapse" in the US political system that could not easily be reversed.
"The unprecedented mob in the Capitol, a symbol of the US system, is the result of the US society's severe division and the country's failure to control such division," it said.
"As time goes by and with abuses of resources by generations of politicians, the US political system has degraded," the paper added.
3:15pm - A second member of Trump's Cabinet has resigned. Education Secretary Betsy Devos said in a letter to the President: "We should be highlighting and celebrating your Administration's many accomplishments on behalf of the American people."
"Instead we are left to clean up the mess caused by violent protesters overrunning the US Capitol in an attempt to undermine the people's business. That behavior was unconscionable for our country. There is no mistaking the impact your rhetoric had on the situation, and it is the inflection point for me."
Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao announced her resignation on Friday morning.
3:10pm - International law expert Alexander Gillespie says it's "unlikely" US President Donald Trump will be booted out of office before his term is up as both possible pathways used would take "far too long."
"In theory, you could use the 25th, in theory, you could impeach Trump, in reality, both of them will take far too much time and neither will come to fruition."
2:46pm - Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has revealed he requested and received the resignation of the Senate Sergeant at Arms and doorkeeper on Friday.
Michael Stenger's employment has been terminated immediately, he said. Deputy Sergeant at Arms Jennifer Hemingway will take over as the Acting Sergeant at Arms.
"I thank Jennifer in advance for her service as we begin to examine the serious failures that transpired yesterday and continue and strengthen our preparations for a safe and successful inauguration on January 20th."
2:42pm - Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi released a statement saying they reached out to Vice President Mike Pence, urging him to invoke the 25th Amendment.
"We have not yet heard back from the Vice President," they said.
"The President’s dangerous and seditious acts necessitate his immediate removal from office. We look forward to hearing from the Vice President as soon as possible and to receiving a positive answer as to whether he and the Cabinet will honour their oath to the Constitution and the American people."
2:38pm - US Capitol Police said in a statement on Friday that media reports that an officer had died after the storming of the Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump were inaccurate.
The agency said that several officers were injured and some hospitalised after the unrest Wednesday, but that no officers had died as a result.
- Reuters
2:35pm - Newshub has published a history of violence at the US Capitol following the protests which occured on Thursday.
The chronology recounts some of the most notable acts to flare - shootings, bombings, a knife attack, a beating by cane and even an assassination attempt.
2:20pm - Former United States Secretary of State Colin Powell spoke to CNN on Friday afternoon, saying he thinks Trump should be removed from office but it is unlikely to happen before Biden's inauguration.
"We have 13 days to go and nothing will really happen in the period. The President is under such pressure now he will just be trying to survive," the Republican said.
"I just want him out, I want him out of office. It is too late for the 25th amendment or impeachment, that process is too slow. It would just be a distraction. We have less than two weeks to go and he will be out."
Powell said Trump should be let go in a way that doesn't give him an excuse to claim he was persecuted.
"Get him out of office and charge him then. I don't think he will do anything crazy. Let's just get him out of here. You can't not have concerns about his mental health when you see the way he acts. He says one thing and does another."
Powell said the protesters shouldn't have been able to storm the Capitol and wondered where the police and National Guard were during the demonstrations.
"There was something wrong with the whole planning around this event. You can't have the Capitol building unguarded. The building was being guarded by the same police who always guard it. It was a complete failure of planning for what was coming."
2pm - The FBI has already received over 4000 online tips from the public to help identify those involved in the riots, NBC reported.
Intelligence analysts are sorting and investigating the information, which is put through facial recognition software.
1:45pm - US taxpayers will be on the hook for damage from a mob attack on the US Capitol in Washington on Wednesday because the building and grounds are not insured, industry sources said.
Supporters of Republican President Donald Trump angry at his election loss stormed the Capitol Building, breaking windows, defacing items inside and setting small fires outside.
- Reuters
1:30pm - In his pre-recorded speech, Trump said he was "outraged" by the "heinous attack" on the Capitol on Thursday.
"I immediately deployed the National Guard and federal law enforcement to secure the building and dispel intruders," he said.
"America is and must always be a nation of law and order the demonstrators who infiltrated the Capitol have defiled the seat of American democracy. To those who engaged in the acts of violence and destruction you do not represent our country and to those who broke the law you will pay."
He said the US had been through an intense election but now "tempers must be cooled".
"We must get on with the business of America," he said.
"My campaign vigorously pursued every legal avenue to contest the election results my only goal was to ensure the integrity of the vote. In so doing I was fighting to defend American democracy. I continue to strongly believe that we must reform our election laws to verify the identity and eligibility of all votes and to ensure faith and confidence in all future elections.
"Now Congress has certified the results, a new administration will be inaugurated on January 20th. My focus now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power.
"This moment calls for healing and reconciliation. 2020 has been a challenging time for our people, a menacing pandemic has upended the lives of our citizens, isolated millions in their homes, damaged our economy and claimed countless lives.
"Defeating this pandemic and rebuilding the greatest economy on earth will require all of us working together.
"It will require a renewed emphasis on the civic values of patriotism, faith, charity, community and family. We must revitalise the sacred bonds of love and loyalty that bind us together as one national family.
"To the citizens of our country, serving as your President has been the honour of my lifetime. And to all of my wonderful supporters, I know you are disappointed but I also want you to know that our incredible journey is only just beginning. Thank you, God bless you and God bless America."
1:15pm - Donald Trump has released a video to his Twitter account now his ban has been lifted.
1pm - Some of the rioters who stormed the US Capitol were fired from their jobs on Thursday after internet sleuths publicised their identities.
One of the people shown in the DC police photos wore his work identification badge inside the Capitol and was identified and fired by his employer, Navistar Direct Marketing of Fredrick, Maryland.
"While we support all employees' right to peaceful, lawful exercise of free speech, any employee demonstrating dangerous conduct that endangers the health and safety of others will no longer have an employment opportunity with Navistar Direct Marketing," the company said in a statement.
Libby Andrews, a real estate agent from Chicago, was fired by @properties and removed from its website. However she argued she had done nothing wrong and had not entered the Capitol.
"I'm a 56-year-old woman, petite. I was not there causing trouble. I was there to support my president," said Andrews.
Rick Saccone, an adjunct professor at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, resigned after the college reviewed a video he posted on Facebook from the scene.
Paul Davis, a lawyer at Westlake, Texas-based Goosehead Insurance, used a social media account to broadcast his participation at the Capitol, saying that he had been teargassed.
A Goosehead spokesperson confirmed David had been fired.
- Reuters
12:49pm - A US Capitol police officer has died following the riots, CNN reports, citing three sources.
12:47pm - The chief of Capitol police Steven Sund has resigned following the protests, the Associated Press reports.
He will leave the position on January 16, four days before Joe Biden enters the White House.
Sund had said that police had prepared for the demonstrations while Congress attempted to certify the electoral college vote, however he did not expect the violent attack. He said it was unlike anything he’d experienced in his 30 years in law enforcement.
This comes after House speaker Nancy Pelosi called for his resignation earlier on Friday.
Despite praising Capitol police officers for "acting so bravely" and protecting members, she said there had been a "failure of leadership" at the top of the agency.
12:40pm - Around 60 Democratic members of the US House of Representatives have already pledged support to the impeachment against Donald Trump, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar tweeted on Friday.
12:30pm - One of the people who died in the riots on Thursday has been identified by his family as Kevin Greeson, a 55-year-old from Athens, Alabama.
Investigative reporter Connor Sheets shared the family's statement along with a photo of Greeson who was reportedly a "diehard Trump supporter".
"Kevin was a wonderful father and husband who loved life," his family said.
"He loved to ride motorcycles, he loved his job and his coworkers, and he loved his dogs.
"Kevin was an avid supporter of President Trump and attended the event on January 6, 2021 to show his support. He was excited to be there to experience this event - he was not there to participate in violence or rioting, nor did he condone such actions.
"Kevin had a history of high blood pressure, and in the midst of the excitement, suffered a heart attack. Our family is devastated."
Sheets reported that Greeson appeared to identify with the Proud Boys and he repeatedly posted and amplified their content on his Parler social media account.
"He also seems to have been a diehard Trump supporter, making and sharing a number of Parler posts (called "Parleys" btw) criticising other Republicans who he didn't see as loyal enough to the president.
"And he repeatedly wrote violent messages on his Parler account, including multiple posts calling for violence and one in which he seemingly hoped for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to die."
12:15pm - The woman shot dead by police during Wednesday's siege of the US Capitol was identified by police as Ashli Babbitt, a US Air Force veteran whose social media activity indicates she embraced far-fetched right-wing conspiracy theories.
Babbitt, 35, was an ardent supporter of President Donald Trump, and her posts on Twitter endorsed Trump's false assertions that he was defeated because Democrats elaborately rigged the November 3 election.
Babbitt lashed out at government-enforced COVID-19 restrictions on her Twitter page. At the pool cleaning service that public records indicate she ran with her husband in Spring Valley, California, a sign was pasted to the door on Thursday, reading: 'MASK FREE AUTONOMOUS ZONE BETTER KNOWN AS AMERICA ... tyranny, lawlessness, disrespect and hate for your fellow man will not be tolerated.'
Babbitt had travelled to Washington with friends to join Wednesday's rally, her husband, Aaron, told Fox 5 News in San Diego. He said he sent her a text message checking her status about 30 minutes before the shooting but never heard back.
"She loved her country and she was doing what she thought was right to support her country, joining up with like-minded people that also love their president and their country," her husband told Fox 5 News. "She was voicing her opinion and she got killed for it."
- Reuters
12pm - Trump has cancelled his planned trip to Camp David in Maryland, CNN reports.
The US President had planned to be away for the weekend before the protests at the Capitol but a source told the publication it has now been called off.
1:45pm - White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany just delivered a speech "on behalf of the entire White House" from the building's briefing room.
"Let me be clear. The violence we saw yesterday at our nation's Capitol was appalling, reprehensible and antithetical to the American way," she said.
"We condemn it, the president and this administration, in the strongest possible terms. It is unacceptable and those that broke the law should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
She said the "group of violent rioters" were undermining the US election.
"Those who violently besieged our Capitol are the opposite of everything this administration stands for. The core value of our administration is the idea that all citizens have the right to live in safety, peace and freedom.
"Those who are working in this building are working to ensure an orderly transition of power. Now it is time for America to unite to come together to reject the violence that we have seen. We are one American people, under God. Thank you."
11:30am - Kiwi experts Amy Baker Benjamin, a senior lecturer in international law at AUT, and Stephen Hoadley, international relations professor at the University of Auckland, spoke to Newshub about their views on the protests.
Benjamin said while she doesn't condone the violence that occurred, the protests "were peaceful".
"I think there were tens of thousands of people - I don't know the exact number - and they were all peaceful. It looks like there was a small group that went up to the Capitol and decided to take matters into their own hands," she told Newshub.
"I don't condone violence so I can't be on that side, but the big protests that happened earlier were all peaceful and I think that's a fine exercise of freedom of assembly and freedom of speech."
Hoadley agreed, saying the protests were largely peaceful, but still thought it was a "black day for American history".
"A lot of authoritarian regimes will point the finger and say, 'the United States is no better than we are. Who are they to lecture us on the conduct of democracy?'"
Unlike Benjamin, Dr Hoadley said the rioters were "encouraged by the President", and his video shot urging protesters to remain peaceful did little to ease tensions.
"He did say the right thing that they'd made their point they should now go home... but it was a very mixed message," Dr Hoadley said.
"It didn't indicate any remorse or any change of view as to his conspiracy theories that he continues to feed his base."
11am - Trump is increasingly isolating himself in the White House and relying on a small group of loyal confidants, four sources told Reuters.
The US President is reportedly lashing out at those who he feels have crossed him, including Vice president Mike Pence, and is becoming more angry and closed off.
One source said the diehard loyalists include digital director Dan Scavino, personal aide John McEntee, trade adviser Peter Navarro, speechwriter Stephen Miller, and personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani.
10:45am - Trump's former chief of staff John Kelly told CNN on Friday that he would vote to invoke the 25th Amendment if he was still serving in Cabinet.
"Yes, I would," Kelly replied when host Jake Tapper asked: "If you were in the Cabinet right now, would you vote to remove him from office?"
Earlier in the conversation, Kelly, who served in Cabinet from July 2017 to December 2018, said current members should meet to consider removing Trump from office.
"I don't think it will happen, but I think the Cabinet should meet and discuss this," he said.
"The behaviour yesterday and in the weeks and months before that has been outrageous from the President. What happened on Capitol Hill yesterday is a direct result of his poisoning the minds of people with the lies and the frauds."
10:35am - Trump has said he is considering pardoning himself in discussions with aides since the November election, the New York Times reported on Thursday.
The newspaper cited two unidentified people with knowledge of the discussions about what would be an extraordinary use of presidential power by Republican Trump, who lost the election to Democrat Joe Biden.
"In several conversations since Election Day, Mr Trump has told advisers that he is considering giving himself a pardon and, in other instances, asked whether he should and what the effect would be on him legally and politically, according to the two people," the Times reported.
The newspaper said it was not clear whether he had discussed the matter since the storming of the US Capitol by his supporters.
- Reuters
10:20am - Former US First Lady Michelle Obama has released a statement saying she has been "feeling so many emotions since yesterday".
"Like all of you, I watched as a gang - organised, violent and mad they'd lost an election - laid siege to the United States capitol. They set up gallows. They proudly waved the traitorous flag of the Confederacy through the halls. They desecrated the centre of American government. And once authorities finally gained control of the situation, these rioters and gang members were led out of the building not in handcuffs, but free to carry on with their days."
She said the day was a fulfilment of Trump's wishes, who was cheered on by the Republican Party and media, despite knowing the consequences.
Obama called on social media companies to "stop enabling this monstrous behaviour" and permanently block Trump and put in place policies to ensure their technology cannot be used by leaders to fuel insurrection.
"If we have any hope of improving this nation, now is the time for swift and serious consequences for the failure of leadership that led to yesterday's shame."
10:10am - Mike Pence is apparently planning to attend Joe Biden's inauguration later this month.
Politico reported: "Three sources close to Pence said he would likely make an appearance at the January 20 event in a show of support for the peaceful transition of power".
They said the decision was made easier when Trump publicly criticised Pence for his refusal to stop the certification of the electoral college votes.
"It was a much more difficult decision days ago, but less difficult now," said a person close to Pence.
9:58am - The Washington DC police department has issued a statement to the public, asking for information on people involved in the riots.
"MPD seeks assistance in identifying persons of interest responsible for Unlawful Entry offences that occurred yesterday on US Capitol Grounds."
They are specifically looking to find those who entered the Senate chamber including a man who wore Viking-style horns and a fur hat.
9:52am - Social media platform Twitch is the latest to disable Trump's account after the riots.
"In light of yesterday's shocking attack on the Capitol, we have disabled President Trump's Twitch channel," the company said in a statement obtained by CNN.
"Given the current extraordinary circumstances and the President's incendiary rhetoric, we believe this is a necessary step to protect our community and prevent Twitch from being used to incite further violence."
This comes after Facebook blocked Trump's accounts on Thursday, silencing him for at least the next two weeks until Joe Biden takes over as President.
"We believe the risks of allowing the President to continue to use our service during this period are simply too great," Zuckerberg said in a Facebook post on Thursday.
"The shocking events of the last 24 hours clearly demonstrate that President Donald Trump intends to use his remaining time in office to undermine the peaceful and lawful transition of power to his elected successor, Joe Biden.
"His decision to use his platform to condone rather than condemn the actions of his supporters at the Capitol building has rightly disturbed people in the US and around the world. We removed these statements yesterday because we judged that their effect - and likely their intent - would be to provoke further violence."
Twitter followed suit, temporarily blocking Trump's account for 12 hours.
It could become permanent if he doesn't remove two tweets the social network deemed to be inciting violence.
9:40am - For those that missed the speeches by Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi, they can be found here:
Newshub reports that Biden "delivered a scathing evisceration" of Donald Trump's handling of the riots.
Rather than protesters, Biden called the rioters "insurrectionists" and "domestic terrorists".
Pelosi described the Capitol riots as a "horror".
"The gleeful desecration of the US capitol which is the temple of our American democracy and the violence targeting congress are horrors that will forever stain our nation's history," she said.
9:28am - Vice President-elect Kamala Harris has echoed Biden's remarks that the Capitol protesters were treated differently to those in the Black Lives Matter demonstrations.
"We witnessed two systems of justice when we saw one that let extremists storm the United States Capitol, and another that released tear gas on peaceful protesters last summer," she said.
"The American people have expressed outrage, rightly. We know this is unacceptable. We know we should be better than this."
Harris said in the US justice system, there are differences in how people are treated depending on their race and wealth.
She said the public servants that will be a part of the Biden administration will "help to ensure all Americans are treated equally".
9:15am - Photos from the Capitol building the day after the protests forced Congress to flee.
9:08am - The first people arrested in the Capitol riots on Thursday are appearing in court, CNN reports.
Prosecutors asked for the judge to block some of the defendants from being in the city, as they are not residents.
Florida resident Michael Jared Amos, 38, was charged with unlawful entry into the US Capitol building and violating the 6pm curfew. He pleaded not guilty.
Amos appeared via Zoom, sitting in a holding cell. CNN reported he was wearing a face mask and said his phone was dead.
David Ross, 33, of Massachusetts also pleaded not guilty to unlawful entry and breaking the 6pm curfew.
He reportedly told the judge he did not understand his charges and was told to speak to his lawyer.
8:55am - Nancy Pelosi's statement on the 25th Amendment follows calls from US Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and Republican US Representative Adam Kinzinger for it to be invoked.
A source familiar with the situation told Reuters there had been some discussions around the possibility with some Cabinet members and Trump allies as well.
If the 25th Amendment is invoked, Trump would be declared unable to perform his duties and Mike Pence would take over as acting President until Joe Biden's inauguration on January 20.
8:45am - Pelosi is also calling for the resignation of the chief of Capitol police Steven Sund.
She said many Capitol police "acted so bravely and with much concern for the staff, for the members, for the Capitol and they deserve our gratitude", however, there was a "failure of leadership" at the top of the agency.
She noted that the House sergeant of arms Paul Irving is already planning on submitting his resignation.
8:33am - Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has called to invoke the 25th Amendment which would require Mike Pence and a majority of Cabinet to remove Donald Trump from office.
The Democrat said Trump is "a very dangerous person who should not continue in office," even if his term is due to end in only two weeks, on January 20.
"This is urgent. This is an emergency of the highest magnitude," she said, The Guardian reported.
"I join the Senate Democratic leader in calling on the Vice President to remove this president by immediately invoking the 25th amendment.
"If the Vice President and cabinet do not act, the Congress may be prepared to move forward with impeachment."
She said: "the President must be held accountable again".
8:25am - Biden also slammed Trump for his response to the Black Lives Matter protests and his attempt to pack the Supreme Court.
"He deployed the US military, tear-gassing peaceful protesters in pursuit of a photo opportunity... even holding the Bible upside-down," Biden said.
"He thought he could stack the courts with friendly judges who would support him, no matter what - they were Trump judges, his judges. He went so far as to say he needed nine justices on the Supreme Court because he thought the election would end up in the Supreme Court and they would hand him the election. He was stunned, truly stunned when the judges he appointed didn't do his bidding and instead acted with integrity... not just once or twice or three times, but over 60 times."
Biden also revealed that during the protests, he received a text from his granddaughter about the difference in response to Thursday's demonstrations to the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.
"She sent me a photo of military people in full military gear - scores of them lining the steps of the Lincoln memorial because of a protest by Black Lives Matter. She said, 'Pop - this isn't fair.'
"No one can tell me if it had been a group of Black Lives Matter protesting yesterday, they wouldn't have been treated very, very differently to the mob of thugs that stormed the capitol. We all know that's true, and it's unacceptable. Totally unacceptable."
8:15am - President-elect Joe Biden is currently addressing the protests. He said that, in his view, it was "one of the darkest days in the history of our nation".
He said it was an assault on the United States' democracy, the citadel of liberty and rule of law.
"What we witnessed yesterday was not dissent, it was not disorder, it was not protest - it was chaos. They weren't protesters - don't dare call them protesters. They were a riotous mob, insurrectionists, domestic terrorists. It's that basic, it's that simple."
He said they could see the protest coming following on from Trump's term in office.
"The past four years we've had a President who's made his contempt for our democracy, our constitution, the rule of law clear in everything he has done. He unleashed an all-out assault on the institutions of our democracy from the outset, and yesterday was but the culmination of that unrelenting attack.
"He's attacked the free press who dared to question his power, repeatedly calling the free press the 'enemy of the people' - language... [that] has long been used by autocrats and dictators all over the world to hold onto power."
8:10am - US Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said Thursday she would resign, citing the intrusion of the US Capitol by violent supporters of US President Donald Trump.
Chao, the wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, is the first Cabinet secretary to announce her departure after the events. Many lower-level administration officials have announced they would resign, including several White House aides.
Chao said her resignation would take effect Monday, just nine days before Trump is set to leave office. She said the Capitol attack "has deeply troubled me in a way that I simply cannot set aside."
- Reuters
