IN A VIDEO released Wednesday, President Donald Trump acknowledged his defeat in the 2020 presidential election. He promised an “orderly transition” to the Biden Administration and condemned the mob attack on the U.S. Capitol as “heinous.”

In the aftermath of the storming of the U.S. Capitol building by an angry mob, President Donald Trump today admitted defeat in the Nov. 3 presidential election for the first time, and pleaded for calm.

In a video released this afternoon, Trump – who has been accused of making comments that incited the violent attack on the home of the U.S Congress – condemned the takeover as a “heinous attack” and promised that those involved would be punished.

He acknowledged defeat in the 2020 election and said, “A new administration will be inaugurated on January 20” and promised a “smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power.”

Trump repeated that “I totally disagree with the outcome of the election,” but would cooperate in the change from one president to a new one.

The president’s comments came as many former allies criticized his actions and remarks prior to Wednesday’s violence. Some Democrats – including House Speaker Pelosi and Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer – called for a second impeachment or removal from office under the 25th Amendment, which allows for action by the Cabinet to unseat the president for reasons of “illness or incapacity.”

In the aftermath of the attack, several White House staffers resigned. Steven Sund, chief of police for Washington, D.C. resigned in the face of the failure of police to prevent the break-in.

A fifth person – a police officer – was announced as a fatality in the melee. Four persons involved in the attack have died, one of them shot by police and three others dying from “unspecified medical emergencies.” At least 55 people have been arrested and police are seeking to indentify other suspects.

Published reports suggested that Trump had made inquiries about the legality of pardoning himself, while some Democrats are arguing that he might be criminally liable for inciting a riot.

In remarks before the incident, the president addressed a crowd of supporters and said, “You’ll never take back our country with weakness, you have to show strength and you have to be strong.”

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CABINET PICKS: President-elect Joe Biden announced three nominees to lead efforts to revitalize the pandemic-stunted economy on Wednesday. Gov. Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island is his pick to be Secretary of Commerce. Boston Mayor Martin Walsh would be Secretary of Labor and Isabel Guzman is selected to run the Small Business Administration.

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Ever since Donald Trump was seated in the White House, every NBA championship team has refused to pay a visit to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. According to Yahoo Sports, that may change, as the Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly planning to visit President Joe Biden once he is officially sworn in as the 46th President of the United States.

The Washington Nationals baseball team has already invited Biden to throw out the first pitch on Opening Day of the 2021 Major League Baseball season.