Trump news: White House lowers flags days after officer death as lawmakers call for impeachment

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Moment pro-Trump rioters storm US Capitol captured on TV broadcast

Donald Trump could soon face impeachment proceedings for the second time in his single-term presidency, with Democrats in the US House of Representatives seeking to oust the “unhinged” president after his supporters stormed the US Capitol on Wednesday. 

On Monday, Democrats will introduce legislation seeking to impeach the president, California Rep. Ted Lieu confirmed on Saturday. But House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn said the articles of impeachment might wait until after Joe Biden becomes president before they’re passed on to the Senate. 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she hopes Mr Trump will resign from his role before Democrats are forced to act. In the meantime, she has pushed for the “unhinged president” to be stripped of access to the US’s nuclear codes.

Meanwhile, a number of pro-Trump rioters have been arrested and charged over their roles in Wednesday’s deadly siege of the US Capitol. Among them is Jacob Anthony Chansley, known as Jake Angeli, a prominent pusher of the baseless conspiracy theory QAnon. Also known as the "QAnon Shaman", Mr Chansley was taken into custody on charges including violent entry and disorderly conduct.

The White House finally lowered its flags to half-staff on Sunday afternoon, a move controlled by the president, days after it was announced a police officer died during the Wednesday riots. Mr Trump has offered no condolences or a public statement about Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick. 

On Sunday, it was also revealed that second police officer who was at the US Capitol on Wednesday has died. Officer Howard Liebengood died by suicide, a police union confirmed. 

Mr Trump remained out of the public eye throughout the day on Sunday except to issue his proclamation in the afternoon to lower the flags to half-staff. The White House press office revealed he would be travelling to Alamo, Texas, on Tuesday to check out the border wall. This would likely be one of the president’s last events before leaving office. 

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Key Points

• White House lowers flags to half-staff for Capitol Police officer
• Democrats to introduce legislation to impeach Trump on Monday
• At least 180 co-sponsors have signed on to legislation to impeach president
• Trump has been permanently suspended from Twitter
• Nancy Pelosi wants Trump to be stripped of nuclear codes
• Trump to visit US-Mexico border wall on Tuesday

[10 January 2021 21:56 · Danielle Zoellner]

Trump signs ‘Proclamation on Honoring United States Capitol Police Officers’ 

Donald Trump has signed a proclamation on Sunday to allow for the flags to be flown at half-staff at the White House and other federal buildings until 13 January. 

“As a sign of respect for the service and sacrifice of United States Capitol Police Officers Brian D Sicknick and Howard Liebengood, and all Capitol Police officers and law enforcement across this great Nation, by the authority vested in me as the President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and ground, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in The District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, 13 January, 2021,” the proclamation reads.

Mr Trump faced criticism in recent days for not issuing condolences to Mr Sicknick’s family or lowering the flags to half-staff. 

The Capitol Police announced three days ago of Mr Sicknick’s death, which happened following injuries he sustained while defending the US Capitol on Wednesday. Rioters reportedly hit Mr Sicknick over the head with a fire extinguisher when attempting to breach the building. 

It was announced on Sunday that a second officer, Howard Liebengood, has also died. Mr Liebengood died by suicide. He was one of the many officers on the scene at the US Capitol on Wednesday. 

Public calls from Democratic and Republican lawmakers encouraged the president to finally decide to lower the flags to half-staff on Sunday afternoon. 

[10 January 2021 22:20 · Danielle Zoellner]

Police departments across US investigating whether their own members took part in the Capitol riots

Police departments across the US have launched investigations to determine whether their officers were involved in the pro-Trump riots at the US Capitol on Wednesday, writes Chris Riotta.

Investigations were underway in departments across Virginia and Washington DC this weekend, Reuters reported, as a wave of arrests were made for rioters who clashed with police officers and breached the halls of Congress.

In Seattle, Washington, interim Police Chief Adrian Diaz announced two of the local police department’s officers were placed on administrative leave after a probe indicated both were in DC during the violent storming of the Capitol.