The US Congress confirmed Trump’s victory in the election with Harris at the helm Reuters

Richard Cowan, David Morgan and Bo Erickson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Congress officially confirmed Republican President Donald Trump’s election victory on Monday during a session chaired by Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost the November election.

The quadrennial ritual, which paved the way for Trump’s inauguration in two weeks, ran smoothly and was in stark contrast to four years ago when mobs of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in a failed attempt to block then-President Trump’s 2020 Democratic loss certification. to President Joe Biden.

Trump continues to falsely claim that his 2020 defeat was the result of widespread fraud, and he warned during his 2024 campaign that he harbored similar concerns leading up to his Nov. 5 loss to Harris.

Harris oversaw the roll call of the states in the vice president’s ceremonial role as president of the Senate. Known for her big smiles and upbeat demeanor in public appearances, she stood with folded hands stoically at the podium as she handed out certificates of each state’s electoral votes for Trump and herself.

“Today was obviously a very important day, and 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,” Harris told reporters at the Capitol. “I firmly believe that American democracy is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it.”

Four years ago, then-Vice President Mike Pence had to preside over Biden’s victory. In 2001, then-Vice President Al Gore had the same dubious distinction after a bitter battle between him and George W. Bush that ended so closely that the US Supreme Court eventually had to halt legal challenges, leading to Bush being declared the winner.

Sitting in the chamber of the House of Representatives was Senator JD Vance, whose vice-presidential victory was also confirmed by Harris. Vance stood and waved to members in the hall as his electoral vote total was announced.

“Congress today confirms our great election victory – a great moment in history. MAGA!” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social earlier Monday.

A joint session of Congress continued even as a winter storm loomed over the nation’s capital, dropping about 6 inches (15 cm) of snow and disrupting travel.

The final confirmation confirmed preliminary findings that Trump won 312 Electoral College votes to Harris’ 226.

REPUBLICANS CONTROL THE WHITE HOUSE, CONGRESS

Republicans also won a majority in the US Senate and a narrow lead in the House of Representatives in November’s elections, which will give Trump the party support he needs to implement his planned program of tax cuts and a crackdown on immigrants living in the country illegally.

Democrats did not try to block the confirmation of Trump’s victory on Monday.

“We must renew our commitment to preserving American democracy,” House Democrat Katherine Clark, another Democrat, said in a statement earlier in the day. “As elected leaders, our loyalty must be to the Constitution, above all and always. We are here to respect the will of the people and the rule of law.”

Security inside and outside the Capitol was heightened in preparation for the certification and was expected to remain in place until Trump’s January 20 inauguration.

The Capitol grounds were surrounded by metal fences hundreds of meters from the US Capitol, and access was only through checkpoints guarded by uniformed police officers.

Convoys of black police vehicles were on hand, led by the Baltimore Police Department’s 10-wheel mobile command center. NYPD reinforcements also patrolled the area.

Inside, additional teams of uniformed U.S. Capitol Police officers checked IDs at entry points including doors and underground tunnels leading to the House and Senate chambers.

Trump has said he plans to pardon some of the more than 1,500 people accused of taking part in the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, when a mob fought with police, smashing their way through windows and doors and chanting, “Hang Mike Pence,” referring to Trump’s then-Vice President, in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent Congress from confirming Biden’s victory.

In the 2021 Capitol riot, rioters pushed past police barricades, attacked about 140 officers and caused more than $2.8 million in damage. More police officers fighting the protesters died in the weeks that followed, some by suicide.