Congress officially certified President-elect Donald Trump as the winner of the 2024 election during a session on Monday that unfolded without challenges or unrest, a marked departure from the violence of January 6, 2021.

The certification concluded smoothly under heightened security measures and a winter snowstorm. Tall black fences surrounded the Capitol complex, a somber reminder of the chaos that erupted four years ago when a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in an attempt to overturn the 2020 election results. That day is remembered as one of the darkest moments in American democratic history.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost to Trump in the 2024 election, presided over the session in her constitutional role. “Today, America’s democracy stood,” Harris said following the session, which confirmed Trump’s 312 electoral votes against her 226.

Set to return to the White House in two weeks, Trump has continued to maintain that he never lost the 2020 election. He has also hinted at aspirations beyond the Constitution’s two-term presidential limit and remains unapologetic about the January 6 Capitol attack, which he has described as a “day of love.” Trump has pledged to pardon individuals convicted for their roles in the siege.

While Monday’s peaceful certification reflected the tradition of a smooth transfer of power, questions linger about whether January 6 was an anomaly or if this year’s calm proceedings will prove to be the exception.

The ceremony followed long-standing traditions, with mahogany boxes containing electoral certificates brought to the chambers. These same boxes were at the center of chaos four years ago as staff scrambled to protect them during the Capitol attack.

As senators walked to the House chamber on Monday, they passed through areas where rioters had once roamed, defacing the Capitol and clashing violently with police. The contrast underscored the resilience of democratic institutions while reminding the nation of the fragility of its traditions.