Trump, Republican malcontents will add to obstacles for Biden

THE mob scenes at the US Capitol building in Washington on Wednesday (Thursday morning, Singapore time) could be seen as the opening to the final act of Donald Trump's controversial one-term presidency.

The shameful behaviour of Mr Trump and his supporters is likely to harm his future in US politics, even more so than the impact of the Democratic sweep of the 2020 elections, which became official on Wednesday as Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff were declared winners of the Georgia run-offs.

As Mr Trump professed his "love" on social media for the mob invading the Capitol, his support among the Republican congressional party began, almost visibly, to peel away.