Twitter permanently suspends Trump as presidency crumbles

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump, already facing mounting calls to step down or risk impeachment, suffered further ignominy late on Friday when Twitter permanently suspended his account, saying the US leader is too dangerous to use the platform.

After a "close review" of tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account, "we have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence," Twitter said.

The unprecedented move, which severs Trump from his 88.7 million followers, is an astounding setback for the president in the chaotic waning days of his administration.

It could also prove an insurmountable hurdle should the brash Republican choose to mount a political comeback in 2024, as he has hinted he could do on multiple occasions.

With his presidency imploding, Trump signalled a final, unrepentant display of division by announcing -- in his final tweet before the ban -- that he will skip the inauguration of Joe Biden on January 20.

Biden responded this was "a good thing," branding Trump an "embarrassment."

However, Biden showed how wary he is of the growing rush to impeach Trump -- and deepen the nation’s political divisions -- over his incitement of crowds who stormed Congress on Wednesday.

"That is a judgment for the Congress to make," Biden said, adding that the "quickest" way to get Trump out was for him and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to take over in 12 days.

"I am focused now on us taking control as president and vice president on the 20th and to get our agenda moving as quickly as we can." Two days after Trump sent a mob of followers to march on Congress, his presidency is in freefall, with allies walking away and opponents sharpening their teeth.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned that Democrats will launch impeachment proceedings unless Trump resigns or Vice President Mike Pence invokes the 25th Amendment, where the cabinet removes the president.