The  historic Capitol building of the United States (U.S.) had only been breached once in history, when the British stormed the building during the War of 1812 and damaged it severely. The second breach is modern news — an insurgent force that was endorsed by the then U.S. President Donald Trump broke into the Capitol building with assault weaponry and a clear desire to stop the  confirmation of current President Joe Biden. This group was not present for any peaceful protest, but their act in storming through what should have been a bastion of the country’s government proves an internal conflict at the point of mass violence. 

Groups of Trump supporters from all around  America went to Washington D.C. with a united idea, if different goals on January 6. Some just wanted to be a part of the Trump-supporting group while others had packed their firearms to conduct an entire takeover of the Capitol building in order to halt government proceedings. This action was taken due to the widespread belief among Trump supporters that the elections were rigged, and their favored president should have won his second term. 

While the total count of rioters is unknown, there are currently more than 400 of them that have been identified by the authorities, with 182 criminally charged and held in custody. This attack highlighted the loose security protocols around the Capitol building, as the rioters were able to overwhelm the Capitol police, loot, riot, and vandalize the building and even erect gallows during the chaos. 

The hours prior to the Capitol Attack, now being called such by major media outlets, had clear signs of a rally being formed; Trump’s endorsement  during  the final days of his presidency clearly urged many to attempt a coup in his favor. The consequences of this attack still remain even days after the beginning of Biden’s presidency, and will reflect on Trump’s history in the office of presidency.

Motivations of the Capitol Attack

As the day of the vote  confirmation was due, U.S. Intelligence stated that there was little to worry about in regard to any possible security risk. After the Capitol Attack took place, they justified that belief by stating that there was no intelligence that suggested a possible attack on the U.S. Capitol. This statement was made in spite of the fact that there were many public interactions that planned for “a call to action,” or in blatant wording, “marching orders.” Users of radical right-wing websites such as *TheDonald*, *MyMilitia.com* as well as certain Facebook groups and 4Chan were inspired by Trump’s tweet on December 23, 2020, to take it as a rallying cry. Ultimately, they collaborated online to instigate at best a protest and at worst, an internal coup. 

Due to his actions inciting a deadly rebellion against the current government, Donald Trump was impeached for the second time in his single four-year term in office. His first impeachment in December 2019 was due to abusing the power bestowed upon him by his office and obstructing the progress of Congress deliberately. However, due to the second impeachment itself requiring a length of time exceeding Trump’s remaining time in office, he was allowed to continue his term. Senators pursuing impeachment continued to do so in order to bar Trump from acquiring any seat in public office. 

The second impeachment was because of the Capitol Attack, in which former President Trump had a hand. The House of Representatives cited the Trump-Raffensperger phone call and his pro-radical tweets as the main motivators of these rebels. Many senators who have consistently supported Trump’s policies have turned away in the light of the Capitol Attack. A surprising number of Republicans that made up the base of support for Trump’s policies have publicly denounced him, including former Vice President Mike Pence, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska, and Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania. 

The mutual opinion of these representatives has been an outspoken demand for another impeachment of Trump. They are citing the damage he inflicted during his term as a reason for why he should never be allowed to hold public office ever again. The majority seems to believe that Trump is involved in serious charges, as shown by Trump’s approval ratings, which has dropped to 29 percent. Unfortunately, this desire was not expressed as he was acquitted from his charges through  the impeachment trial held on February 13, with the Congress falling short of the required two thirds majority necessary to impeach. Overall, there were 57 votes for impeachment and 43 against–falling short of the required 67 votes to impeach the president. Of the 57 votes, seven votes were Republican, two were Liberitarian, and 48 votes were Democrat. The senators that voted against impeachment were all Republicans. 

The U.S. Democracy and the Failure of Law Enforcement

This outburst shows the vulnerability of the self-proclaimed “international police,” putting the U.S. in a bad light with clear signs of radicalism and a dissatisfied public. This incident is arguably worse than the many radical changes the U.S.  underwent during Trump’s four-year administration, as it revealed critical, exploitable flaws in the defenses of the government building. 

Aside from these governmental factors, Professor Kang Woo Chang (Department of Political Science and International Relations) stated that the attack proves that American democracy no longer meets the minimum definition of its system, which became a larger matter than institutional flaws in the system itself. Before this attack, it was generally perceived that there was little concern about American democracy itself compared to its European peers–but recent events clearly show that this assessment was made under false circumstances. Aside from this fundamental issue, the attack itself also caused discord in the administrative levels of government, especially officials and workers behind the scenes. Therefore, the aftermath of the Capitol attack saw a large loss of White House staff. However, Professor Kang has high hopes for the resilient nature of American democracy. The fraudulent election controversies and the methods in which Georgia’s State elections function are signs that the processes of American democracy is still functioning. 

As Trump left the White House, he left behind a colorful history and a nation on the brink of civil war. With two notches of impeachment in his belt, it is very unlikely for the American public or the international community to ever see him in any political capacity. Nonetheless, the imprint he has left behind is undeniable. What will take place after Trump and his supporters revealed the U.S. standing on foundationally shaky ground will depend on the Biden presidency.