Note: This article was written before Wednesday, January 20, 2021, inauguration day of President Joe Biden. Updates to this article may be made and can be found on sampan.org. (Print)
Note: This article was originally written before January 20, 2021, inauguration day of President Joe Biden. It has since been updated (see below) to include the latest events up until our scheduled publishing date, January 22, 2021. (Online)
On Jan. 6, Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building and disrupted the counting of electoral college votes by Congress. The riot began shortly after President Trump’s rally at Washington D.C., calling for his supporters to “fight like hell” with the belief that the election results had been fraudulent. The riot turned violent and has since resulted in the second impeachment of Donald Trump.
Since the announcement of Biden’s win in the November 2020 elections, Trump and his legal team have been attempting all possible methods to overturn the election results. Just a few into the new calendar year, Trump called Georgia’s Republican state secretary. In an hour-long phone call, the President was recorded to have said, “I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have.” Election officials denied his request, as they have counted the votes three times before officiating Biden’s win.
Trump has still not accepted defeat in the elections. In every online or official statement, he continues to state his belief that the election results are fraudulent. On Jan. 6, within 20 minutes after finishing his rally speech in D.C., his supporters surrounded the Capitol. While Congress was in session counting the final electoral votes, the rioters breached security and entered the building. 1,400 Capitol police officers were overpowered by the estimated 8,000-strong mob that attacked the government building. The national guard was deployed, and a 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew was imposed. The incident ended with five deaths and at least 50 police officers injured. Congress resumed count later that night and certified President-elect Biden’s win.
Days after the event, videos and images over the internet have painted a more violent incident than previously thought. Not only did rioters chant to “Hang Mike Pence,” they were also seen attacking police officers. With their flags representing white supremacy and extremist right-wing militia, the violent mob appeared to represent supporters of white nationalism and an anti-government stance. There were also some right wing populists who were simply pro-Trump rally supporters and not expecting the extent of insurrection.
As the news broke about the Capitol riots, viewers were shocked and terrified of the implications of an attack against a pillar of democracy: the electoral vote count. Online, Twitter user @souvenirswift compared the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protest and the riot on Jan. 6. Several others like @AgentTinsley made similar posts comparing the peaceful protests of BLM met with violent police force versus the delayed minimal police response when pro-Trump supporters attacked a federal building. In real-time, the online community has since been calling out the evident racism in America that was displayed, fueling the calls for social reform in America.
On the other hand, niche conservative sites and social platforms, including thedonald.win, were found to have played a role in planning and mobilizing the mob responsible for the riot. Donald Trump is an avid Twitter and social media user, often posting personal opinions on his public pages. Despite all the evidence and his failure to overturn the election results, he continues to share and promote the idea that the election was ‘stolen’ from him. In response, Biden said, “The words of a president matter, no matter how good or bad that president is. At its best, the words of a president can inspire. At their worst, it can incite.”
To prevent further violence and tragedy, social media and technology giants have taken action. Twitter and Facebook have banned Trump’s personal social media accounts.
Other social media sites that have banned Trump include Reddit and TikTok. Google and Apple have both pulled and suspended Parler, an app used by far-right supporters and right-wing extremists. YouTube continues to monitor content heavily to inhibit the impacts of further misinformation.
On Jan. 11, an article of impeachment charging President Trump with “incitement of insurrection” was brought to the House with over 200 co-sponsors. House proceedings happened quickly, and the debate took place a mere two days later. In a historical moment, on Jan. 13, Trump became the first U.S. president to be impeached twice. The House voted 232-197, with all Democrats and 10 Republicans having voted to impeach the president.
Trump was formerly impeached due to the political scandal with Ukraine, on Dec. 18, 2019 and acquitted on Feb. 5, 2020. Based on the timeline of impeachment proceedings, the second impeachment trial will have to take place during President Joe Biden’s time in office. This is because the Senate has been adjourned until Jan. 19, according to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Hence, the impeachment trial cannot be held until after Biden’s inauguration into office, to which many doubt the trial’s effectiveness. The only way to hold an early impeachment trial would be if all 100 House Representatives vote to return early, which is an unlikely possibility.
Due to the timing, many question the trial’s significance since it will likely take place after Trump has left office. When the House passed a resolution for Vice-President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th amendment to remove the president, it was rejected by Pence. With Trump remaining in office until the end of his term, one of the primary concerns is whether or not he will be able to run for office again in 2024. Impeachment on its own will not ban Trump from running for office in the future. If the Senate votes to remove Trump, a majority of senators must then decide whether or not to ban him from running for president again.
*Updates to this story may be made depending on how events unravel.
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