US Congress certifies Trump election victory with Harris presiding

By himalaya Diary News Service On Jan 7, 2025

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 06: U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris certifies the Electoral College vote as U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) applauds during a joint session of Congress to ratify the 2024 Presidential election at the U.S. Capitol on January 06, 2025 in Washington, DC. Congress held a joint session to ratify President-elect Donald Trump’s Electoral College win over Vice President Kamala Harris, four years after a mob of supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol to halt the certification of the 2020 election results. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The U.S. Congress formally certified Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s election victory on Monday during a session presided over by Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost the November contest.

The quadrennial ritual, clearing the way for Trump’s inauguration in two weeks, went like clockwork and stood in sharp contrast to four years ago when a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in a failed bid to block the certification of then-President Trump’s 2020 loss to Democratic President Joe Biden.

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

Harris oversaw the roll call of the states in the vice president’s ceremonial role as president of the Senate. Known for her broad smiles and upbeat demeanor in public appearances, she stood stoic with hands clasped on the dais as she handed off certificates of each state’s electoral votes for Trump and herself.