Donald Trump completed a historic political comeback on Monday as Congress certified his election victory, marking a dramatic turnaround from four years ago when a mob he had incited stormed the U.S. Capitol to halt the certification of his defeat to Joe Biden.
The president-elect, who spent much of his campaign under legal scrutiny for his alleged role in the 2021 insurrection, was elected back into office in November. The certification ceremony proceeded without incident despite a winter storm blanketing Washington, D.C., and much of the country in snow.
“Donald J. Trump of the state of Florida has received 312 votes. Kamala D. Harris of the state of California has received 226 votes,” Harris announced to assembled lawmakers after the count was completed. In her role as vice president, Harris presided over the certification, formally declaring Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance as winners.
The ceremony capped efforts by Trump’s opponents to hold him accountable for the events of January 6, 2021, when his supporters stormed the Capitol in an attempt to overturn the 2020 election results. Although prosecutors had pursued charges against Trump for his alleged role in the insurrection, all charges were dropped following his election victory.
Trump has vowed to pardon some of the roughly 900 individuals who faced federal charges for their involvement in the Capitol riot, describing them as “hostages.” Critics, including outgoing President Joe Biden, have expressed concern about Trump’s return to office and his efforts to downplay the violence of 2021.
In a Washington Post op-ed, Biden urged Americans to reflect on the resilience of democracy and to remain vigilant against efforts to undermine it. “We cannot accept a repeat of what occurred four years ago,” Biden wrote. “An unrelenting effort has been underway to rewrite—even erase—the history of that day.”
The certification process this time stood in stark contrast to 2021 when then-Vice President Mike Pence rejected Trump’s demands to overturn Biden’s victory. Despite occasional historical challenges to election results, the 2021 certification was marked by unprecedented violence and widespread objections from House Republicans.
Trump’s return to the presidency has reignited debates about accountability, democracy, and the lingering divisions within the United States, setting the stage for what is likely to be a controversial and closely watched administration.
