Live updates: Biden blames outgoing US President Trump for violence at Capitol

In normal times, a state-backed gang rampaging through a legislature to demand a lost election be nullified would have US diplomats marching to their laptops to draft a statement of condemnation. But after the deadly violence in Washington on Wednesday, it was the turn of officials in capitals from Bogota to New Delhi to call for calm.

The Israeli leader said the "rampage at the Capitol yesterday was a disgraceful act and it must be vigorously condemned." "I have no doubt that... American democracy will prevail. It always has," added Netanyahu, who has repeatedly called Trump Israel's best-ever friend in the White House. Speaking after Netanyahu, Mnuchin said: "Now is the time for our nation to come together as one and to respect the democratic process in the US."

Outgoing US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that there will be an "orderly" transfer of power to Joe Biden on January 20. Trump's remarks came minutes after a Joint Session of the US Congress formally certified the Electoral College victory of Biden as the next US President and Kamala Harris as the Vice President in the November 3 election. "Even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless there will be an orderly transition on January 20th," Trump said in a statement.

"The FBI is seeking information that will assist in identifying individuals who are actively instigating violence in Washington, DC. The FBI is accepting tips and digital media depicting rioting and violence in the US Capitol Building and surrounding the area in Washington DC, on January 6, 2021," read a statement. The FBI's statement reiterated its objective of 'preserving the public's constitutional right to protest by protecting everyone from violence and other criminal activity".

Pelosi's aides said the mob shattered a big mirror in the office of the 80-year-old top Democrat and took the nameplate from above the door of her office in the highly-secure building. One image captured a Trump supporter sitting with his feet up on the desk of Pelosi. Rioters flipped over tables and tore down photographs from the walls, according to The New York Times.

One policing expert said there should have been a heavily manned perimeter sealing off the entire Capitol grounds and a second around the building itself given that extremist groups with a history of violent confrontations were involved. “How they were not ready for this today, I have no idea,” said Charles Ramsey, a former D.C. police chief. “They were overwhelmed, they did not have the resources. You have to be able to protect the Capitol. That is not OK.”

US Deputy National Security Advisor Matt Pottinger, first lady Melania Trump's chief of staff Stephanie Grisham and White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Matthews have resigned following the violence at the US Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump. According to ABC News, White House social secretary Rickie Niceta also submitted her resignation in reaction to the violent protest.

Lawmakers are vowing an investigation into how Capitol police handled Wednesday's violent breach at the Capitol, questioning whether a lack of preparedness allowed the mob to occupy and vandalize the building. Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., a former police chief, said it was “painfully obvious" that Capitol police "were not prepared for today. I certainly thought that we would have had a stronger show of force, that there would have been steps taken in the very beginning to make sure that there was a designated area for the protesters in a safe distance from the Capitol.''

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell urged fellow Republicans on Wednesday to abandon their effort to overrule President-elect Joe Biden's election triumph, directly rebuking defeated President Donald Trump and asserting that the GOP drive threatened the country's democratic foundations. "The voters, the courts and the states have all spoken,'' said McConnell, R-Ky., as the Senate debated a challenge by a handful of GOP lawmakers to the 11 electoral votes that Arizona cast for Biden. "They've all spoken. If we overrule them, it would damage our republic forever.''

Hundreds of people gathered in state capitals nationwide to oppose President-elect Joe Biden's win, waving signs saying “Stop the steal” and “Four more years.” Most of them didn't wear masks amid the coronavirus pandemic, and some carried guns in places like Oklahoma, Georgia, Arizona and Washington state. There were some scuffles with counterprotesters in states like Ohio and California, and a newspaper photographer was pepper-sprayed by a protester in Utah, but most demonstrations were peaceful — some of them quite small — and only a few arrests were reported.

The only fatality tied to Wednesday's unrest was the woman, reportedly a dedicated Donald Trump backer and air force veteran who was among a throng of supporters of the president that invaded the US legislature. Washington police chief Robert Contee said three other people, one woman and two men, had died Wednesday in the area around the Capitol, but did not link those deaths to the violence.

Republican Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania and Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri have objected to the counting of Pennsylvania's electoral votes, triggering up to two hours of debate in the House and Senate. The objections come 11 hours after the congressional count to confirm Democrat Joe Biden's presidential victory began, and after lawmakers had to evacuate both chambers for several hours to escape a mob that had violently breached the Capitol. Biden won Pennsylvania by just over 80,000 votes.