Mike Pence formally declares Joe Biden as next president after Capitol riots

Congress has formally approved Joe Biden’s presidential election win after pro-Trump rioters violently stormed Capitol Hill in a bid to stop the process.

The certification will now pave the way for Mr Biden to be sworn in as the US president on January 20.

Mike Pence formally declared Mr Biden as the next president on Thursday morning, just hours after the vice president was evacuated from the Capitol amid violent clashes.

Mr Pence certified the Electoral College count of 306 electors in favour of the Democrat against 232 in favour of outgoing Republican President Donald Trump.

The tally followed a joint session of the House and Senate that descended into chaos when thousands of rioters broke into the Washington DC building, leading to four deaths.

Mr Trump said he ‘totally disagrees with the outcome’ but confirmed ‘there will be an orderly transition on 20 January’.

It comes as lawmakers draw up plans to invoke the 25th Amendment to end Mr Trump’s presidency early for inciting violence at the Capitol.

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