Washington | Joe Biden is in the box seat to become America’s 46th president after clinching two crucial midwest states that put him within reach of winning the Electoral College as Donald Trump escalated lawsuits and unproven claims of vote fraud.

Flipping Wisconsin and Michigan, two states won by Mr Trump’s rampage that ended Hillary Clinton's White House hopes four years ago, followed an intense 24 hours of vote counting and dramatic scenes involving protesters across the country.