For many weeks since his defeat in the recent elections, Donald Trump has refused to concede and accept defeat to Joe Biden. Following the siege at the Capitol, Trump has finally acknowledged his loss.
In a video message recorded at the White House, Trump hesitantly acknowledged that he will not be serving a second term, after weeks of refusing to admit defeat. The message follows increasing pressure by White House officials, and as of yesterday, even more lawmakers and former officials for him to either willingly step down or face another round of impeachment. This also follows inquiries surrounding his involvement in possibly inciting his supporters to break into the Capitol in the midst of the counting of electoral votes the day before. The White House also faced resignations from many individuals one after another in the midst of the ongoing siege.
“A new administration will be inaugurated on January 20,” said Trump in the video. “My focus now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly, and seamless transition of power.”
In the midst of White House officials resigning along with some members of the Cabinet, National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien has said that he will stay on the post until Trump leaves office. However, O’Brien may still decide to resign in the coming days.
Despite the increasing resignations in the White House, that is reportedly not the only reason for Trump finally admitting defeat. This was also in the wake of reports that revealed that there were talks about invoking the 25th Amendment. This may have signaled that Trump was now willing to cooperate in the presidential transition, but aides and other officials that have remained in the White House have argued that it was too late.
Trump was largely silent online shortly after the events at the Capitol due to the social media platforms suspending his account. Facebook has now blocked Trump from posting until the end of his term when Biden is inaugurated as the next president. Twitter, the platform that Trump uses the most, has suspended his account for 12 hours. Trump has also been blocked from posting on Snapchat and Youtube took down his video message that was released shortly after the siege.