Trump Goes After Mike Pence in Tweet as Protesters Storm Capitol During Joint Session

President Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at Vice President Mike Pence as Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, amid Congress beginning the process of certifying the presidential election results.

"Mike Pence didn't have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify," Trump, who has refused to concede to President-elect Joe Biden, tweeted after Pence and other legislative leaders were whisked to safety. "USA demands the truth!"

Trump earlier held a mass rally for his supporters ahead of Congress' certification, which is normally a ceremonial process. He encouraged them to go to the Capitol and repeatedly said he wanted Pence, who is the presiding officer of the session, to override the outcomes that have been certified in battleground states that went to Biden.

Pence has acknowledged that he has no constitutional authority to change the election outcome and will certify Biden's election.

The hundreds of protesters, many of them carrying Trump flags, scaled the Capitol walls. They broke through barricades and windows to get into the building, forcing the House and Senate to stop their hearings on the election outcome.

Trump later followed his first tweet with a message of support for Capitol police, who have been overwhelmed by the riots.

"Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement," he wrote. "They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful!"