Impeachment article has 200 cosponsors: US rep.

The draft, citing "incitement of insurrection," could be introduced Monday.

Last Updated: January 11, 2021, 10:29 AM EST

President Donald Trump is slated to hand over control of the White House to President-elect Joe Biden in 11 days.

Jan 09, 2021, 1:29 PM EST

Trump quiet after Twitter permanently suspends his account

Trump has been quiet Saturday after Twitter announced Friday evening that it had permanently suspended the president's account.

"After close review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them -- specifically how they are being received and interpreted on and off Twitter -- we have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence," Twitter wrote in a statement.

Trump's final tweet said he would not be attending Biden's inauguration.

After Twitter's announcement, Politico reported that the president went "ballistic" and “[scrambled] to figure out what his options [were].”

PHOTO: A Tweet from the account of President Donald Trump posted is flagged as disputed by Twitter on the afternoon of Jan. 6, 2021.
A Tweet from the account of President Donald Trump posted is flagged as disputed by Twitter on the afternoon of Jan. 6, 2021 as members of Congress convened to debate the certification of the election and crowds of protesters gathered in Washington and breached security at the Capitol.
@realDonaldTrump / Twitter

Hours after his suspension, Trump released a statement criticizing the ban and teasing a possible new platform.

"I predicted this would happen," he wrote in part. "We have been negotiating with various other sites, and will have a big announcement soon, while we also look at the possibilities of building out our own platform in the near future. We will not be SILENCED!"

"Twitter is not about FREE SPEECH. They are all about promoting a Radical Left platform where some of the most vicious people in the world are allowed to speak freely," he added.

Trump had attempted to post the same statement on Twitter using the official @POTUS account, but the platform deleted the thread, saying users who are banned cannot post from other accounts.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blasted Twitter Saturday, comparing the ban of the president to something that would happen in China.

"Silencing speech is dangerous. It’s un-American. Sadly, this isn’t a new tactic of the Left. They’ve worked to silence opposing voices for years. We cannot let them silence 75M Americans. This isn’t the [Chinese Communist Party,]" he wrote on Twitter.

Former Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley also took to the platform to draw a comparison to China writing, "Silencing people, not to mention the President of the US, is what happens in China not our country. #Unbelievable"

The White House announced Thursday that the president planned to spend the weekend at Camp David before notifying reporters that the trip was canceled. The president has nothing on his schedule Saturday.

-ABC News' Mark Osborne and Conor Finnegan

Jan 09, 2021, 12:51 PM EST

More resignations following Capitol riot

Two more senior Trump administration officials resigned following the president's remarks Wednesday and the violent assault on Capitol Hill that ensued, ABC News confirmed Saturday.

Anthony Ruggiero, the senior director for counterproliferation and biodefense on the National Security Council, resigned Thursday, a source familiar with the situation confirmed. He joins deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger and other senior NSC officials who quit over Trump's comments.

The State Department lost its first assistant secretary over the week's events, too. Dr. Chris Ford, the top diplomat for arms control, resigned Friday, a second source familiar with the situation confirmed. 

The Washington Post reported that Ford originally announced his departure Wednesday morning but sent a follow-up note to staff Friday resigning immediately and condemning those in the administration who "are willing to condone, or even to incite, violent insurrection against the country I hold dear and whose Constitution I have taken a sacred oath to support and defend" -- a tacit reference to Trump.

-ABC News' Conor Finnegan

Jan 09, 2021, 12:18 PM EST

Former Republican senator calls on Trump to resign

Republican former Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe has called on the president to resign following Wednesday's violent storming of the Capitol by a pro-Trump mob.

"President Trump should resign from office now to allow our nation to begin to heal and prepare for the transition to the Biden presidency," Snowe tweeted Saturday.

The former senator joins other Republicans, like Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., in calling for the president to leave his post or for his removal before his term ends on Jan. 20.

Known as a moderate, Snowe served as senator from Maine between 1995 and 2013.

-ABC News' Benjamin Siegel

Jan 09, 2021, 12:11 PM EST

Statehouses advised to increase security after Capitol riot

Federal law enforcement officials have advised police agencies in state capitals to increase their security posture at statehouses around the country following the riot at the US Capitol, law enforcement sources told ABC News.

The concern, the sources said, is an emboldened right-wing that considered Wednesday a success and may next turn to locations in closer to home.

Like the U.S. Capitol, statehouses are often backdrops for demonstrations that law enforcement officials now fear could turn violent.

“The safety of the Massachusetts State House, its employees and its neighbors is of utmost importance. As we witness the events in Washington, DC and across the nation, we are aware of the need to ensure the safety of this building and those who work within it. We continually assess our security needs and will adjust as necessary,” said Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Ronald Mariano in a joint statement.

Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump scale the walls of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, Jan. 6, 2021.
Jim Urquhart/Reuters

Across the country in Washington state, Gov. Jay Inslee activated the National Guard to patrol the Capitol Campus when the state legislature convenes Monday.

“As legislators begin their work on behalf of the people of the state of Washington, we must do whatever we can to ensure that they can do that work without fear, intimidation or harassment. The actions we saw in both Washington, D.C. and Olympia earlier this week were completely unacceptable and will not be repeated in our state capital again,” Inslee said.

Security was also increased around the statehouse in Maryland, Gov. Larry Hogan said.

“Maryland State Police as well as Maryland Capitol Police, some of which you see around here, have increased security around the Maryland State House complex, since there’s been a number of incidents at state capitols and governor’s mansions around the country,” Hogan said.

-ABC News' Aaron Katersky and Josh Margolin

Related Topics