always a peaceful transition of power on january 20. so always a peaceful transition of power onjanuary 20. so it is my power onjanuary 20. so it is e power onjanuary 20. so it is my hope that we can move forward and move on without this violence and go into this inauguration and, you know, not have the violence. we are seeing resignation from the white house tonight, the first lady's chief of staff says it has been an honour to serve the country but she is resigning reportedly because of what happened. how do you see the president's last two weeks in office panning out after this? i think he is going through stages of denial and maybe will finally come to acceptance. i do know that it isa acceptance. i do know that it is a very, pretty difficult place to work right now. i think the president is looking for any way to delegitimise the selection, but you will probably see tonight, we're probably see tonight, we're probably going to certify the

electoral college then we begin the peaceful transition of power and the inauguration of a new president on january power and the inauguration of a new president onjanuary 20. you said yourself how tense and difficult it was and how scary it was for you being there inside the building. i was outside seeing the police everywhere and former president clinton has put out a statement tonight saying, this assault on oui’ tonight saying, this assault on our capital and our constitution and our country was fuelled by more than four yea rs of was fuelled by more than four years of poisoned politics and the match was lit by donald trump and his most ardent enablers. what do you make of that statement? well, you know, i wish he would have spent the last month or so talking about his accomplishments, getting operation warp speed a vaccine for covid-i9, i he operation warp speed a vaccine for covid—19, i he had talked more about his rebuilding military, talking about his health position on trade and with china and the tax cuts that got our economy going, but

instead he's been off, you know, in this conspiracy land, just obsessed with these allegations of fraud, and there was some fraud but that is for the courts to decide, not congress, and they brought 60 lawsuits, all of them have been rejected by ourjudicial system. i think it would have been a more classy way to depart than what he's doing right now. do you think there's going to be a split now in the republican party, between the ardent trump supporters and those who want to move on? yeah, i worry. those who want to move on? yeah, iworry. i those who want to move on? yeah, i worry. i think the one thing president trump was able to do successfully was get the reagan democrats, the working blue—collar workers back into the republican party, that ronald reagan did, so i hope we don't see that kind of fracture, but i think today at

his rally, he said this is no longer the republican party, he said this is the trump republican party, so i hope that doesn't happen, i hope we can unify them. and how significant do you think it was today, congressmen, when the senate majority leader mitch mcconnell said it was important for everyone to accept the truth of this election and also vice president mike pence did the same thing and they both split with the president and a very public way, didn't they? they did, i think they were the adults in the room, they were telling the truth to the american people, i thought senator mcconnell gave an excellent speech on the floor about the role of congress, that we are not the, it is not congress's role to overturn state certified elections and also talking about the fraud cases but that there is little evidence of that, and i think that vice president did the right thing by stating by law

what his duties are and i know the president tweeted out something about his vice president and i know that's what got the mob outside the capital alljandabup. what got the mob outside the capital all jandabuplj what got the mob outside the capital alljandabup. i should just say, the senate has overwhelmingly rejected a move by allies of mr trump to object to arizona's certification of its presidential election results. that was of course a move that was delayed by the writers violent breach of the capital. senators voted 93—6 against the measure so arizona is indeed certified as a win forjoe biden. neil franklin is a enforcement veteran, told us president trump has a lot to a nswer president trump has a lot to answer for. we have a president who was always talking about his support for law enforcement, has support for

the police, but he puts them in this very difficult and dangerous situation, especially inviting this to the capital, and so many people coming. when he saw what was occurring, and there's no doubt in my mind that he expected this, that he what would happen. that they would try to gain access into the capital, which they did. even when he saw this, he did not immediately rebuke them. he did not immediately call for them to stand down, to go home. as he did, once president biden asked him to do so and demanded that he do so, so he put my brothers and sisters in policing, and law enforcement, ina very policing, and law enforcement, in a very dangerous situation and it is very difficult for them to figure out who respond, how to react, especially when you don't have the numbers available at that moment to push back against this anarchy

that we saw today on capitol hill. and when you talk about the anarchy, we've seen these live scenes now which are white extraordinary, of law enforcement behind perspex, the national guard being deployed by the mayor of washington, dc. this doesn't really look like the peaceful transfer of power to the outside world, does it? 0h to the outside world, does it? oh no, it's not. and your prior guest used the term traitor, a traitor is someone who commits treason which is a crime against the country. i am very, very close to calling this treason by the president, which isa treason by the president, which is a crime. treason by those who broke in two our halls of democracy on capitol hill. they

had betrayed the country and the country is not a building. the country is the people, the people, the citizens who elected presidentjoe biden, which has been challenged in court all across this country, the way it should be if there isa the way it should be if there is a challenge to be made, but it has gone too far, it has gone to the place of committing the crime of treason. that's my opinion. retired major and law enforcement veteran neil franklin. let's to peter bowes. peter, wow! we should stress that today would normally be just completely routine, a part of the democratic process. the vice president there to count the votes, list state—by—state alphabetically, enumerating the results of the election. there would be debates and posturing expected but nothing ever like this. this is off the scale of

what we might have expected even under the current circumstances, what we have seen over circumstances, what we have seen over the past year, what you and i have a lot of time talking about and of course the events since the election at the beginning of november. what we saw in washington today, first of all, i should say to a lot of americans this is just a deeply sad day, a deeply depressing day to see the democratic process interrupted in this way. essentially, americans attacking the country's house, the congress where democracy and the process , where democracy and the process, as you say, normally moves ahead at this stage in an electoral year without much attention. it is simply rubberstamping what the states have already decided, but this year, being a year like no other, there were those objections by republicans that it looks like, and we might find out in the next hour if they are going to continue. it seems unlikely now that those republicans who would sit at the beginning of the day that they would object to the votes as they came and from the

individual states, it looks like they will now stand down, and the process could be completed by the end of the day, at least that is the determination of congressional leaders on both sides. and we should repeat probably that the objections to the certifications and arizona have been rejected, so that has most definitely gone tojoe biden. there is enormous nervousness, must be, surely, about what happens in the next couple of weeks? yeah, and i think that is what a lot of people around the country are looking at and what they are concerned about. i think there's been some nervousness for the past few weeks about what might happen over the next couple of weeks with the president increasingly posting on twitter and social media, repeating those views which are unfounded based on no fa cts which are unfounded based on no facts whatsoever, that he believes the election has been stolen from him, that it was wrecked, and that really is still at the centre of this debate right now and that is

why he has been thrown off social media, of twitter and facebook, at least for the next 12 hours, repeating views that, andi 12 hours, repeating views that, and i think that is why people are nervous, that could incite further violence over the coming weeks. less than two weeks now before the end of the president's term but through americans' eyes that is quite a long time. we did see some moves confidently, from mike pence and mitch mcconnell to distance themselves from the president today but then they didn't criticise him at all after a ll didn't criticise him at all after all of this and their remarks at the beginning of, when the session restarted stopping at the very tricky one for his party. 0n the president's watch, his party has lost the white house, the senate and house of representatives but he has millions of voters behind him, something like 70 million and he has remade the party in his image. yes, that's what we've a lwa ys image. yes, that's what we've always got to remember, that the president managed to achieve a huge number of votes, more than any other sitting

president at the election in november, he has tremendous support around the country. that's why he was elected four yea rs that's why he was elected four years ago and after the election that saw him catapulted into the white house there was a lot of thinking, where did we go wrong? where did we misjudge the american people as to what they thought about president trump and then his opponent hillary clinton. i think there was a realisation that the president had latched onto something that many americans felt forgotten and left behind, he reached out to people and communities that felt as if they didn't have a say in the process and those people still strongly follow president trump, so the big question is, where do they go next and where does former president trump go next in terms of the public debate. does he continue with these claims that are unfounded? does he start to talk about the next election in four years' time. i don't think he's going to indicate that he will stand again, at least not yet. he might keep people waiting on

hanging fora might keep people waiting on hanging for a final decision there but i think very few people expect president trump to go quiet and disappear. and you have to wonder how president biden reaches those people who have chosen to live ina people who have chosen to live in a universe where they believe the election was stolen from them by widespread fraud are prepared to use violence to try to overthrow that democratic process and the followers of qanon, i think, secretly believe that president trump is battling a worldwide paedophile conspiracy run by leading democrats? that's the great challenge forjoe biden and his indicated that he wants to bea and his indicated that he wants to be a unifying president, he wa nts to to be a unifying president, he wants to bring these very disparate sides in this divided country together and you have just gone through many of the issues why that is going to be a big problem, and very difficult forjoe biden because of the extreme nature of some of the extreme nature of some of the extreme nature of some of the opinions of those people who follow president trump, but one thing thatjoe biden, at

least politically has now in his favour. not that everyone is going to agree with what he plans to do but at leastjoe biden will be able to do things with control of the senate and of the house and of the white house now, he will be able to push forward policies that he at least believes will benefit the vast majority of americans. peter, from the people you are talking to, what about the fallout from today's events? there are suggestions, the new york times is suggesting more resignations around the president to come, cbs news, our partner channel, reporting that cabinet members, trump cabinet members are considering invoking the 25th amendment, essentially removing the president from office because he is unfit to discharge his duties. what strength do you give to those reports? well, if that happens that would be the ultimate in developments that would really shocked so many americans because in modern history that simply hasn't ever

happened and coming so close to the end of president trump's term, less than two weeks, if he were to be forcibly removed and presumably replaced by mike pence, the current vice president, that would be an earthshattering development, and it does seem that it is being seriously talked about now. it has always been talked about really ever since the president was elected, when things had seemingly gone very wrong in the president has said something particular outrageous, people have talked about this possibility and this mechanism of replacing him, but it has never really gained any serious traction, until perhaps now, and there isn't much time. he could be impeached, that seems even less likely and there are possibilities within system for action to be taken after he has left office but i think most people's eyes are on the next two weeks and what could happen and i think any americans, the sense i get is that many americans, whatever

side of the political divide they are on are holding their breath and hoping there isn't a repeat of the violence and mayhem that we have seen today. thank you very much for that. let's go to the bbc news room. cornea is there looking at the international reaction. what are you seeing? widespread condemnation and shock at these images coming out of washington. i will start in europe because germany's foreign minister has tweeted that the enemies of democracy will be very happy watching the scenes unfold and went on to accuse donald trump and his supporters of trampling on democracy. that kind of language we are hearing from a number of european leaders, and there was this tweet from the eu's foreign policy chief, who said in the eyes of the world, american democracy appears under siege. this is not america. the election results must be fully respected. also in the last few hours we have heard from the french president, here is what he

said. ijust wanted president, here is what he said. i just wanted to president, here is what he said. ijust wanted to express out said. ijust wanted to express our friendship and our faith in the united states. what happened today in washington, dc is not america, definitely. we believe in the strength of out we believe in the strength of our democracy is, we believe in the strength of american democracy. it's also interesting to knows who we have not heard from you, vladimir putin, nothing out there, and also xijingping, we have had nothing there, plenty of people in social media are suggesting they will be happy to watch this unfold. we also have not heard anything from president trump's closest allies, including triable jair bolsonaro, and the israeli prime minister, so it will be interesting as the hours go on,

if we hear anymore international reaction, but thatisit international reaction, but that is it for now. thank you much. the republican strategist franklins was at the house when the violence erupted. it was an interesting challenge for me, for i do interesting challenge for me, foridoa interesting challenge for me, for i do a lot of work on fox news, and none of those people, even though i had a mask on that whole time, a number of people recognised me, and there we re people recognised me, and there were a more than a few who wished i was not there, and considered me a traitor because myjob is to tell it like it is, donald trump lost that election, he did not win it in a landslide, he continues to embarrass himself and embarrass his country and someone has to say this, so they wanted me nowhere near there. fortunately because i was wearing a mask, most people ignored it, or ignored me, and every person was ignoring each other. i was

surprised at the signs because the signs were so harsh and ugly. the signs were so harsh and ugly, and this is an example of what the million women march had done the day after president trump was inaugurated in 2017 was critical of them andi in 2017 was critical of them and i am critical of these republicans for carrying signs, should be embarrassed if your kids saw the second is there we re kids saw the second is there were some people who said we wa nt were some people who said we want the police, and i was filming, iam want the police, and i was filming, i am filming the interactions, the ugliness between the marchers and the police. they are attacking the police, and they are preventing pass getting through, and the claim that they are pro— police, yet their behaviour was com pletely police, yet their behaviour was completely inappropriate, and the idea that this building, the idea that this building, the people's house would be destroyed by frankly, by republicans, it's just... i don't know how to describe it. it is an embarrassment, and i'm sorry for people who, i know

this goes globally, i am sorry for what we are shown, we're not a shining city a hill, we have no right demoralised, no right to condemn others when we can't behave ourselves, so i felt a deep sense of sadness as this went on. the president is saying that these other things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously and viciously stripped away and the great patriots. what do you make of that? one of his last tweets before twitter lockers account for 12 hours. they should lock it for 12 days. my job, and! should lock it for 12 days. my job, and i have done this for the bbc for decades, my job job, and i have done this for the bbc for decades, myjob is to translate what the politicians say an impact it has on others. they listen to donald trump, the trust donald trump, they responded donald trump, they responded donald trump, he has impact on them. he makes a difference, and his unwillingness to address the nation, his inability to, in a

minute's time, all he did was a one—minute statement, and his inability to not say that he won ina inability to not say that he won in a landslide, which is a lie, he is responsible for this, and the fact that a young woman died, it is the worst, and my heart goes out to her and my heart goes out to her and her family. we and my heart goes out to her and herfamily. we are a very sick country. this is toxic, poisonous, and i thought that nothing could be worse than britain leaving the eu. i thought nothing could be worse than what you have all been through over the last three yea rs. through over the last three years. i was through over the last three years. i was wrong, because through over the last three years. i was wrong, because at your worst, it was nowhere near as bad as what we have been in the last 2a hours and i don't think we're done yet to. we still have another 2a hours of this horrible situation to contend with. i've never seen this in my life. the idea that americans would be attacking the capital... it's a disgrace, and we're to have to live with

it. do you think this is the moment at which the republican party breaks with donald trump? i certainly hope that they have the courage and the conviction andi the courage and the conviction and i herded in mitch mcconnell‘s speech and i am looking forward to kevin mcca rthy‘s looking forward to kevin mccarthy's speech, i heard it with a number of people have been on tv since then. make no mistake, he comes after you, he threatens to primary you, attacks you not just threatens to primary you, attacks you notjust on twitter but in every possible way and he tries to wreck your career, and republicans that break with the president, their careers are usually over, so this is not something you do casually because your life has changed to. that said, watching these people attacked the capital, the president has done so much damage, notjust of the republican party to the country, and i can't believe, i am thinking as i say these things, of the ramifications to me, but you know what? i was

there? — i was there. if somebody wants to complain that i was disloyal, fine, because i am not loyal to a movement that does not believe in democracy, iam not does not believe in democracy, i am not loyal to a movement that does not believe in rule of law, the things that donald trump, that he claims in the last 2a hours has been proven to bea last 2a hours has been proven to be a liar, and i know the significance of seeing it on the bbc, and that's why i say it. it's a big shining lie. republican frank lund ‘s speaking a bit earlier. 0bjections speaking a bit earlier. objections to the confirmation process in congress are being heard, as we have been reporting but the majority now in the house of representatives and the senate have rejected the objections to the certification of the vote in arizona so that means arizona does go without question tojoe biden, and as we enter this hour, it is worth recapping some of the most extraordinary scenes we have ever witnessed

in american political history. congress was suspended because supporters of donald trump stormed the building trying to stop the certification ofjoe biden's presidential election victory. there was a chaotic view hours and two of the most powerful american politicians, the democratic senate leader and the senate leader mitch mcconnell spoke. the united states senate will not be intimidated. we will not be kept out of this chamber by thugs, mobs, or threats. kept out of this chamber by thugs, mobs, orthreats. we will not bow to lawlessness or intimidation. we are back at our post, we will discharge our duty under the constitution and for our nation, and we will do it tonight. this afternoon, congress began the process of honouring the will of the american people and counting

the electoral college votes. we have fulfilled our solemn duty every four years more than two centuries. whether our nation has been at war, or at peace, and all manner of threats, even during an ongoing armed rebellion in the civil war. the clockwork of our democracy has carried on. the united states in the united states congress have placed much —— face down much greater threat than the unhinged crowd we saw today. we have never been deterred before, and we will be not deterred today. make no mistake, today's events did not happen spontaneously. the president who promoted conspiracy theories that motivated these thugs, the

president who exhorted them to come to our nation's capital, egging them on, he hardly ever discourages violence, and more often encourages it. this president bears a great deal of the blame. this mob is in good pa rt the blame. this mob is in good part president trump's are doing, incited by his words, his lies. this violence, in good part, his responsibility, his everlasting shame. today's events, certainly, certainly would not have happened without him. january six will go down as one of the darkest days in re ce nt as one of the darkest days in recent american history. a final warning to our nation about the consequences of a demagogic president, the people

who enable him, the captive media, the parities lies, and the people who follow him as he attempts to push america to the brink of ruin. hello there. there was some welcome sunshine in many areas on wednesday, but there's a definite wintery feel and look to the weather at the moment. not only do we have a widespread frost, but there will be some icy stretches around, and we have a spell of snow moving down from scotland and northern ireland ahead of that, some patches of freezing fog, as well. let's have a look at more detail then into the morning. and whilst there will be some patchy fog in the southeast of england, most of it will be through the midlands and towards merseyside. some icy patches in eastern england with those showers coming in off the north sea. and quite icy in scotland and northern ireland with that band of rain, sleet and snow moving down across the country, leaving a few centimetres of lying snow by the morning in many areas. now gradually that rain, sleet, and increasingly snow to high ground moves down into northern england. brightening up in scotland

and northern ireland, more snow for northern scotland. further south, most of that fog will tend to lift, although it could be quite great in a few places and feel particularly cold, some sunshine to come especially in wales and the southwest — another cold day wherever you are. and it will stay cold as we move into friday. the threat of more ice and also frost, as well, and maybe some more wintry showers coming into eastern scotland and northern england. a spell of light snow expected through the midlands and wales before that tends to peter out, also some damp weather in the southwest. but away from here, many places i think we'll see some sunshine. again, it's a cold day, temperatures struggling to 1—2 celsius, for example, in glasgow and also birmingham. now let's head into the weekend — slow changes to come, widespread frost on saturday morning, sunshine for england and wales, a cold day here, turning more cloudy for scotland and northern ireland, but a dampness around as well, especially in northern scotland as the breeze picks up. temperatures start to rise in the northwest of scotland, it stays cold elsewhere with temperatures at 3—4 celsius.

we got a week weather front for northern areas, still around for the second half of the weekend. high pressure starting to nudge in, and we are starting to change in the wind direction, picking up some milder air slowly but surely that'll come in from the atlantic. but that does mean the weather will turn more unsettled. we start to see the milder air coming in towards northwestern areas, wind picking up and rain moving in early next week, and eventually that milder air moves further south and also further east.

mayhem that we have seen today. thank you very much for that.

this is bbc news i'm mike embley. our top stories: democracy unbowed, after a day of chaos on capitol hill, america's lawmakers get back to work. to those who wreaked havoc in our capital today, you did not win. violence never wins. freedom wins. and this is still the people's house. we will not be put out of this chamber by thugs, mobs, or threats. this president bears a great deal of the blame. this mob was, in good part, president trump's doing. business was suspended,

and the building evacuated,