The U.S. Congress met Monday to certify that Donald Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in the November presidential election.
Exactly four years after Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the US Capitol, seeking to overturn his election loss, lawmakers meet Monday to certify his 2024 win, cementing the Republican’s comeback from political ignominy.
Under U.S. law, sitting vice presidents preside over the Electoral College count of the election results from each of the country’s 50 states, leaving Harris in the position of certifying her loss.
Harris described her role in a video message as a “sacred obligation” to ensure the peaceful transfer of power.
“As we have seen, our democracy can be fragile,” she said. “And it is up to each of us to stand up for our most cherished principles.”
Harris, the Democratic candidate, conceded the election after the outcome of the November 5 vote became clear, with Trump, the Republican nominee, winning all seven highly contested political battleground states that were decisive in the election.
The official Electoral College vote count in Congress was long a formality in the election process, but four years ago turned into chaos as about 2,000 Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, injuring about 140 police officers, ransacking congressional offices, vandalizing the building, and sending lawmakers rushing for safety.
The events of Jan. 6, 2021, are likely to soon play a leading role in the first moments of the new Trump presidency.
Biden has been highlighting the need for a peaceful process.
Speaking Sunday at the White House, Biden called what happened on Jan. 6, 2021, “one of the toughest days in American history.”
“We’ve got to get back to the basic, normal transfer of power,” Biden said.
He added that Trump’s conduct four years ago, which included repeated false claims that he won the election, “was a genuine threat to democracy.”
“I’m hopeful we’re beyond that now,” Biden said.
