On the fourth anniversary of the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, Congress convened in a special session to formally certify the re-election of Donald Trump as president.
Vice President Kamala Harris, whom Trump defeated in the 2024 election, presided over the session as required by the U.S. Constitution. Despite the solemnity of the occasion, the shadow of the Capitol riot loomed large, even as Trump and his allies sought to reframe the event as a “day of love.”
Security in Washington, D.C., was notably tight, and current President Joe Biden assured the nation there would be no repeat of the violence from four years ago. Trump marked the moment with a celebratory post on Truth Social: “Congress certifies our great election victory today—a big moment in history.”
The day was striking for its normalcy, in contrast to the chaos of 2021. Harris stood at the front of the House chamber, her expression somber, as lawmakers read out each state’s election results before certifying their authenticity.
While the results confirmed Trump’s victory, Harris received a standing ovation from the Democratic side when she read out her own electoral vote tally. Vice President-elect JD Vance attended the session, seated next to Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, one of the few GOP senators who had voted to convict Trump during his second impeachment trial. That effort ultimately failed, and Trump was acquitted.
Harris vowed to “perform my constitutional duty as Vice President to certify the results of the 2024 election”.
She continued: “This duty is a sacred obligation – one I will uphold guided by love of country, loyalty to our Constitution, and unwavering faith in the American people,” she said in a video statement.
Ordinarily, such procedures would warrant little attention. The U.S. Constitution mandates that a presidential election be certified on January 6, with the vice president presiding over the process.
However, the last time Congress convened to certify a presidential election, the session was delayed for several hours as rioters, fueled by the false belief that the 2020 election had been stolen from Trump, stormed the Capitol. They smashed windows, overwhelmed police lines, breached the House chamber, and vandalized offices, including that of then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Earlier that day, Trump addressed a crowd in Washington, D.C., urging them to “fight like hell” while also suggesting they “peacefully” make their voices heard.
As the violence erupted, lawmakers—Republicans and Democrats alike—were forced to take cover in the basement, while Capitol staff sought shelter wherever possible. Then-Vice President Mike Pence was rushed to safety as rioters erected a gallows outside and chanted for his hanging, enraged by his refusal to overturn the election results in Trump’s favor.
