Trump slams VP Pence for declining to illegally overturn poll results

Outgoing US President Donald Trump has slammed his deputy Mike Pence for declining to illegally overthrow the results of the November 3 election won by Joe Biden, saying he lacks courage.

Trump's remarks came after Vice President Pence presided over a Joint Session of the Congress to count and certify the election results.

The session was interrupted when a violent pro-Trump mob stormed the US Capitol, forcing a lockdown and Pence's evacuation from the building.

Trump said Pence lacks courage.

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. USA demands the truth! Trump said.

Trump has refused to concede and has worked over the last two months to convince his supporters that widespread voter fraud prevented his victory.

Pence on Wednesday publicly broke with President Donald Trump, the boss he's served obsequiously for four years, saying he cannot submit to Trump's demands.

Pence in a letter to lawmakers said he had no "unilateral authority to decide presidential contests" and could not change the results of the election.

"It is my considered judgement that my oath to support and defend the Constitution constrains me from claiming unilateral authority to determine which electoral votes should be counted and which should not," he wrote.