US Congress certifies Biden win hours after harrowing Capitol Hill assault

Electoral College votes are brought in before House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Mike Pence resume presiding over a Joint session of Congress to certify the 2020 Electoral College results after supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol earlier in the day on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on January 6,2020. - Members of Congress returned to the House Chamber after being evacuated when protesters stormed the Capitol and disrupted a joint session to ratify President-elect Joe Biden's 306-232 Electoral College win over President Donald Trump. - AFP

WASHINGTON (Reuters): Hours after hundreds of President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the US Capitol in a harrowing assault on American democracy, a shaken Congress on Thursday (Jan 7) formally certified Democrat Joe Biden's election victory.

Immediately after the certification, the White House released a statement from Trump in which he pledged an "orderly transition" on Jan. 20 when Biden will be sworn into office.