As of recent, former President Donald Trump has made history for a new reason. On Jan. 13, 2020, he became the only President in the history of the United States of America to be impeached twice. The House of Representatives impeached the one-term president on the grounds that he helped incite the deadly storming of the United States Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The riots occurred after the March to Save America, hosted by Trump and his allies, and was motivated by the belief that the 2020 election was a stolen one. In fact, Trump supporters were not the only ones who bought into these claims for on that same day, multiple Republican senators including former presidential candidate Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) had planned to present their objections to the decades-long tradition of certifying the votes of the electoral college on the Senate floor. However, these attempts were in vain. After hours of being hidden under lockdown in fear of the insurrectionists that had breached the Capitol, the senators returned safely to their designated chamber and proceed to certify the election making Joe Biden the official President-Elect of the United States.
What transpired on Jan. 6, 2020, was not just a historical moment in U.S. history, but a great example of the effects of what many have called Trumpism. Trumpism is seen by some as a new phase of the Republican party, one that prioritizes and defends all things having to do with the political beliefs of the former 45th president. The six senators and 121 representatives who objected to the certification are surely enough proof that Trumpism isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. After the now-infamous events at The Capitol that could have easily ended in a massive blow to the country’s legislative branch, Trump’s wall of allies is starting to show its cracks. Many Republicans are now taking a step back. Most notably, former senate majority leader Mitch McConnell. The well-known Trump ally has recently come out with some eyebrow-raising accusations towards the former head of the Republican party. On Tuesday, Jan.19, 2021, the republican senator took to the Senate floor and stated that the rioters were “fed lies” and “provoked by the president and other powerful people… they tried to use fear and violence to stop a specific proceeding of the first branch of the federal government, which they did not like.” These statements came as a shock, that on the night after the riots had taken place McConnell condemned those involved in the breach but failed to point a finger at Donald Trump.
He is explicitly stating that the claims made by Donald Trump regarding the legality of the 2020 election results are false and that Joe Biden is the true winner, a claim Trump and a large number of Trump’s followers are not likely to agree with. McConnell’s decision to acknowledge Trump’s role in the events of Jan. 6, 2021, could affect his upcoming impeachment trial in the senate. If there is anything the change of heart powerful leaders like Senator McConnell proves, it is that the tables do indeed turn.
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