Trump's social media director tweeted out Trump's comment, because Trump's own account was locked for inciting violence.
In the early hours of Thursday morning, Donald Trump finally agreed to leave the White House on Jan. 20 when his term expires — a decision that not only took 65 days to reach but cost the lives of at least four people, who died on Wednesday in a violent insurrection at the Capitol that was spurred by Trump himself.
Trump's concession came in a tweet from his social media director, as Trump's own account was frozen for 12 hours by Twitter for inciting violence. Trump still did not accept that he lost, but said he would leave the White House nonetheless.
"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," Scavino tweeted, writing that it was a statement from Trump. "I have always said we would continue our fight to ensure that only legal votes were counted. While this represents the end of the greatest first term in presidential history, it’s only the beginning of our fight to Make America Great Again!"
Of course, it will be hard to describe the transition of power as "orderly" when it was preceded by a violent attack at the Capitol that Trump himself fomented.
Four people died in the riots at the Capitol.
They include a female Trump supporter who trafficked in dangerous QAnon conspiracy theories. The woman, Ashli Babbitt, was shot when she attempted to break onto the House floor.
Three others died of medical emergencies at the Capitol, CNN reported.
Trump has blocked the transition from taking place for weeks. And even once he finally allowed the transition to move forward, segments of his administration still stonewalled and refused to cooperate with Biden transition officials.
Trump's admission that he will leave office came as staff at the White House implored him to step up and condemn his supporters for what they did at the Capitol and urge calm.
The New York Times reported that not only was Trump refusing to urge calm, but he even rebuffed requests to call in the National Guard to help secure the Capitol — where his own vice president, Mike Pence, was being held in a secure location as the violent mobs paraded through the building. In the end, it was Pence himself who ordered the National Guard to come assist, according to the Times.
The Times added that Trump's own aides thought Trump actually liked what he saw as his supporters ransacked the Capitol.
Ultimately, the certification of the Electoral College — the event that sparked the violent Trump-inspired riots — occurred in the wee hours of Thursday morning.
President-elect Joe Biden won the Electoral College, 306 to 232.
Despite the deadly attack at the Capitol, 121 House Republicans — more than half of the Republican caucus — and six Senate Republicans voted against certifying Biden's win.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.
