The US Congress certifies Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential elections | Politics news

The quiet action contrasts with efforts by Trump supporters to overturn his 2020 loss by storming the US Capitol.

The US Congress certified Donald Trump’s victory in the November elections Presidential electionsWhich removes the final hurdle to his return to the White House later this month.

Monday’s ceremonies in Congress officially certified the 2024 Electoral College results.

The event was overseen by Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump’s main election rival, and the event passed quickly and without much fanfare.

“Today was obviously a very important day,” Harris, who also serves as Senate president, said in remarks afterward.

“It was about what should be the norm and what the American people should be able to take for granted, which is that one of the most important pillars of our democracy is that there will be a peaceful transfer of power,” he added.

This largely procedural issue represents a stark contrast to the last time Congress met to certify Electoral College votes, in January 6, 2021.

During that ceremony, thousands of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol building in an attempt to overturn then-President Trump’s defeat in the 2020 elections.

Lawmakers were forced to evacuate as doors were smashed, police officers were attacked, and one protester was shot and killed while trying to enter the chamber through a broken window.

The attack occurred after Trump held a rally nearby at the Ellipse Park south of the White House, where he repeated false claims that the election was stolen through widespread fraud.

Critics strongly condemned the attack, calling it an assault on democracy, and the US Department of Justice has since charged it 1,583 participants With federal crimes.

As of Monday, nearly 1,009 people have pleaded guilty, while 327 people have pleaded guilty to felony charges.

Trump himself has faced criminal indictments for his role in trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election: a federal case in Washington, D.C., was recently dismissed, while a statewide case in Georgia is stalled but ongoing.

However, four years later, Trump is set to return to power following his most successful presidential campaign to date.

In November, Trump won 312 electoral college votes compared to Harris’ 226 votes, and became the first Republican candidate to win the election. Popular vote Since 2004.

Trump’s Republican Party will also control Congress after that Winning a majority In both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Since then, many in the party have embraced the Republican leader’s false claims about the 2020 election.

“Congress bears witness to our great electoral victory today – a major moment in history. MAGA!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Monday, using an abbreviation for his slogan, “Make America Great Again.”

At the same time, Harris urged respect for the principles of American democracy. She cited Monday’s peaceful ratification as an example of the right way forward.

“I firmly believe that American democracy is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it,” she said. “Otherwise it is very fragile and will not be able to withstand moments of crisis.”