Donald Trump has acknowledged for the first time he bears "some responsibility" for the assault on the US Capitol which left five people dead.
The President made the concession during an emotional two-and-a-half hour phone call with Republicans, party congressional leader Kevin McCarthy said during a meeting, according to sources.
It comes as the disgraced leader faces an historic second impeachment after Democrats in the House of Representatives formally charged him with one count of "incitement of insurrection".
House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, said yesterday she would move forward with impeaching Trump if Vice-President Mike Pence did not invoke the 25th amendment.
Either action would see him forced out of office early and scupper his hopes of running again in 2024 - though impeachment would likely take weeks.
Thousands of Trump supporters stormed the seat of Congress last Wednesday afternoon, forcing lawmakers who were certifying Democratic President-elect Joe Biden's election victory into hiding.
The violence occurred shortly after Trump urged supporters to march on the Capitol during a rally where he repeated false claims that the November 3 election was "rigged" against him.
Trump initially ignored demands that he condemn the attack, repeating his false claims about election fraud and referring to the supporters involved in the siege of Congress as "very special".
A day later, he described the violence as "a heinous attack"and pledged to work towards a smooth transfer of power, although he did not concede defeat in the election.
"I have been very clear to the president. He bears responsibility for his words and actions," McCarthy told fellow Republicans on Monday, according to one of the sources.
"I asked him personally today if he holds responsibility for what happened, if he feels bad about what happened. He told me he does have some responsibility for what happened."
McCarthy said he appealed to Trump to call Biden.
"I'm asking you personally. Call Joe Biden. For the sake of this nation," he said.
