Large flags, loud sounds and little peace. The Capitol has not been breached in over 200 years, last seen in 1814 by the British in the war of 1812, which was when the opposition’s troops torched and infiltrated federal buildings.

On Wednesday, January 6, the United States Capitol was infiltrated by a large group of far-right radicals. The riots resulted in five deaths, with one being a police officer. The National Guard was deployed to stop the rioting shortly after it had begun. According to National Public Radio, or NPR, the mobs were trying to get to the House and Senate Chambers, where the representatives were located, in order to stop the Electoral College vote that would confirm the election results. Before the chaos, it began as a peaceful protest in Washington D.C. It was organized mainly by Trump supporters, where the protestors used their constitutional rights to declare that the election was rigged because of fraudulent ballots. 

Amidst the violence at the Capitol, in a tweet that is now deleted due to the suspension of Trump’s Twitter account, he addressed his supporters and other people present at the Capitol:

“I know your pain, I know you’re hurt. We had an election that was stolen from us. It was a landslide election and everyone knows it, especially the other side. But you have to go home now. We have to have peace…You’re very special. You’ve seen what happens. You see the way others are treated that are so bad and so evil. I know how you feel, but go home, and go home in peace,” Trump said.

On Wednesday, January 13, Trump was officially impeached by the House of Representatives for the second time in his term with a vote of 232 to 197. According to The New York Times, Trump’s second impeachment was on charges of incitement and insurrection. If the Senate also impeaches him on an unplanned upcoming date, Trump will lose his ability to hold office again in the future. 

After much anticipation for how things would play out, Biden  and Harris were inaugurated into office on Wednesday, January 20. Extensive measures were taken to ensure the safety of President Biden and his team, especially after the previous weeks of violence. With a socially distanced crowd and presidential fist bumps, the inauguration went smoothly.

“This is a great nation. We are good people. And over the centuries, through storm and strife, in peace and in war, we’ve come so far. But we still have far to go. We’ll press forward with speed and urgency, for we have much to do in this winter of peril and significant possibilities, much to repair, much to restore, much to heal, much to build, and much to gain,” President Biden said in his inauguration speech.

In his first day of office, Biden was able to accomplish many things, such as rejoining the Paris Climate Accord and World Health Organization. He was also able to revoke permits for the Keystone XL Pipeline, along with suspending student loan repayments until September, just to name a few, all according to Forbes. 

To find out more about the Biden Administration’s plans and what is to come moving forward, visit www.whitehouse.gov.