US President Donald Trump has committed to an “orderly” transition of power a day after his supporters stormed Congress, provoking world condemnation.
Trump’s remarks, posted on Twitter following a suspension, were widely seen as his first public acknowledged of electoral defeat.
Trump spoke as top Democrats called for him to be removed from office.
Hours later, Capitol Police said one officer had died from injuries sustained during the riots. Four others also died during the unrest. Officials said one Trump supporter was shot by police, while three died as a result of “medical emergencies”.
The breach of the seat of US government led to the evacuation of shocked lawmakers, postponing for several hours their certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s victory over Trump.
Trump returned to Twitter on Thursday evening, following a 12-hour freeze of his account after the social media company said his tweets could stoke violence. In a clip, Trump barely touched on his baseless claims of voter fraud, which had riled diehard supporters on Wednesday outside the White House.
“Now Congress has certified the results a new administration will be inaugurated on January 20th,” he said.
“My focus now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power. This moment calls for healing and reconciliation.”
The video message was the closest he has come to a formal acceptance of his defeat after weeks of falsely insisting he actually won the election in a “landline”.
