Twitter permanently banned Donald Trump today. For a brief moment, he managed to tweet anyhow — not from @realDonaldTrump, his suspended account, but rather the official @POTUS account reserved for the current President of the United States, one that will be handed over to Joe Biden on January 20th.
His message, before it was deleted, cryptically suggested that he will “have a big announcement soon” and that he was looking “at the possibilities of building out our own platform.” Trump is currently deplatformed from most social media.
Twitter told The Verge earlier today that Trump would not be able to evade a ban by tweeting from a different account, and that his tweets might be deleted if he tweeted from a government account (like @POTUS). BuzzFeed has confirmed with Twitter that is exactly what happened.
If Trump tries to use a non-government account (say, if he created a new account), it would be permanently suspended “at first detection” according to Twitter.
Though the @POTUS account currently has 33.4 million followers, Twitter has said that Biden will not automatically get them — the account will start from zero. But Trump also won’t automatically get to take those followers with him.
In a video message released Thursday evening, more than 24 hours after mobs of his supporters besieged the U.S. Capitol in a shocking insurrection, President Trump denounced and tried to distance himself from the attack in his name.
“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,” Trump said. “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.”
Reading off a script in a flat voice, Trump claimed he immediately deployed the National Guard to help secure the building and expel the intruders. Other officials have disputed that account. Trump also claimed his attempts to overturn the election results were simply his efforts to “ensure the integrity of the vote.”
Nevertheless, the video appeared to be the closest Trump has come to formally conceding to Biden.
“Now, Congress has certified the results, and a new administration will be inaugurated on January 20th. My focus now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power,” Trump said. “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 revitalize the sacred bonds of love and loyalty that bind us together as one national family.”
He closed by saying serving as president had been “the honor of my lifetime” — and with a message to his base.
“And 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,” Trump said.
Vice President Pence officially affirmed the election results of President-elect Joe Biden’s win early Thursday, concluding an historic and sobering moment in time marred by pro-Trump rioters who attacked the Capitol in what amounted to an attempted coup.
Inside the Senate chamber at 3:32 a.m., Pence cited the results for Biden’s victory in Vermont, which pushed the Democrat past the 270 electoral votes for Congress to confirm him as the next president nearly 15 hours after the joint session began.
“Are there any objections to counting the certificate of the state of Vermont?” Pence asked. There was only silence.
The moment, which was delayed by Republicans objecting to the Pennsylvania electoral vote, was met with a rousing ovation from Democrats exhausted at the end of a marathon, dangerous process that dragged on from Wednesday afternoon to Thursday morning and shook the nation.
“The announcement of the state of the vote by the president of the Senate shall be deemed a sufficient declaration as persons elected president and vice president of the United States,” Pence said.
In rebuffing President Trump’s demands to intervene in the count, the vice president followed through on what he said he was going to do on Wednesday. He had told lawmakers in a 2½-page letter sent earlier in the day that he would indeed fulfill his constitutional duties despite the president’s wishes.
Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) told the Tulsa World that Trump’s disdain for the vice president not supporting him in overturning an election they lost was apparent in a conversation he had with Pence.
“I’ve known Mike Pence forever,” Inhofe said to the World. “I’ve never seen Pence as angry as he was today."
Biden and Harris will be inaugurated Jan. 20 at noon.
foleskay: Its a no. Most republican gop are pro trump. He still has two weeks as president. Its a 50 50 situation at d senate. And camela Harris is yet to b inaugurated. Impeachment is impossible. Go sit down
Go and do your research, o boy. The moment some Senate Republicans decided not to support the electoral vote objections, Trump turned on them and threatened to primary them in their next election. Trump supporters are already pulling away from the Gop, and that's why Perdue and Loeffler underperformed their Nov 2020 numbers.
If the Articles of Impeachment are brought forward today, Romney, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski -- and probably a few other Republicans -- will certainly support it.
If you don't even know that it's Kamala, not carmela, then you should not be here. Stick to ajegunle politics.
foleskay: Very impossible. D senate has d only right to impeach d president but rt now GOP are still d majority. So this stupid Sudanese Muslim woman should shut up!
Why so pained? If Georgia certifies the results of its Senate Runoff in days, the new Dem senators can be sworn in right after.
If Articles of impeachment enter the Senate again, do you think more Republicans won't hurry to vote yes? Trump has splintered their party.
Dikebuka: I use to think APC supporters have the lowest of I.Q. but a democrat supporter has no redemption at all.
I am still shocked how someone will vote for potential policies such as
1. Green New Deal 2. Packing of the Supreme Court 3. High Taxes 4. Defund the Police 5. Abortion bill
1. If water levels rise around the planet, humans won't be worried about their economies. 2. I doubt Democrats will pack Scotus. They may not even blow up the filibuster. 3. Biden has already repeated - time and time again - that those earning below $400k a year won't incur a penny more in taxes. 4. The police won't be defunded. 5. Her body, her choice, not yours.