Congress certified President-elect Trump’s electoral victory on Monday, officially cementing his victory over Vice President Harris ahead of his inauguration. No lawmakers objected as a tally of states was read on the House floor.
Trump won the presidency with 312 electoral votes to Harris’s 226 — a figure confirmed during Monday’s certification, the final step in the election process before Trump formally takes over the White House on January 20.
Republicans gave a standing ovation in the chamber when Harris announced Trump’s victory had been certified. A bipartisan standing ovation erupted in the House chamber after Harris declared the joint session of Congress dissolved. The event lasted about 30 minutes before Harris gaveled it off.
Harris presided over the event, maintaining a businesslike or expressionless demeanor and refraining from applause. Everything went smoothly. Unlike in 2016, no Democratic lawmakers attempted to prevent Trump’s victory from being certified.
Several lawmakers assisted in the count, including Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), and Reps. Bryan Steil (R-Wis.) and Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.). Vice President-elect JD Vance was also present in the chamber during the count.
The proceedings also marked a complete 180-degree turn from four years ago, when rioters stormed the Capitol to prevent the certification of President Biden’s victory over Trump, who had spent weeks making false claims that the 2020 election was rigged.
Trump, who stewed in the White House four years ago and chose not to speak out or intervene as the violence unfolded, spent Monday at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, where the certification was conducted quietly.
The president-elect described it as a “historical moment” hours before lawmakers arrived to certify the results.
In a video released ahead of the certification, Harris praised the “peaceful transfer of power” as a cornerstone of American democracy, describing her duty as a “sacred obligation.”
“As we have seen, our democracy can be fragile,” Harris stated. “And it is up to each of us to stand up for our most cherished principles.”
Although the event was largely symbolic, there was some drama surrounding it. A snowstorm hit Washington overnight, causing difficulties for lawmakers attempting to return to the Capitol for certification.
The certification had to proceed because changing the date due to weather would have necessitated a new law; the Jan. 6 date is written into federal statute.
Capitol Hill was also on high alert following the events of four years ago, with fencing erected around the Capitol complex and a visible increase in police presence throughout Senate and House office buildings, as well as the Capitol.
On the campaign trail, Trump repeatedly attempted to rewrite the history of events from four years ago. He boasted about the size of the Jan. 6 crowd, referring to it as a “day of love” and claiming that protesters had “love in their heart.”
At several Trump rallies, a rendition of the national anthem sung by those imprisoned for their actions that day was broadcast over the speakers.
Pardoning those charged in connection with Jan. 6 was a major campaign promise, and Trump has indicated that he will follow through on his first day in office.
