Joe Biden Confirmed As US President After Electoral College Casts Their Vote, Calls Trump's Attempts At Challenging Results Assault On Democracy

Joe Biden was confirmed as the next US president on December 14 as the Electoral College formalised his victory over Donald Trump. This closes the door on the incumbent's efforts to overturn the result of the 2020 election. Biden appealed to Americans to "turn the page" on the divisive contest. Electors met across all US states to seal his win, with California pushing Biden over the majority of 270 votes, and clearing the way for him to take office on January 20. And then, Trump announced moments later that Attorney General Bill Barr, who contradicted the outgoing president's claims that the November 3 election was marred by fraud, would leave his post next week. The 200-plus-year-old Electoral College procedure is merely a formality in confirming the will of the people expressed at the polls. However, the process carried added significance given the turbulence of last month's election and Trump's refusal to acknowledge his own defeat. Soundly beaten by Biden on November 3, Trump continues to claim, without evidence, that he was the real winner. Court after court has turned down the Republican team's claims of election fraud.