1 / 12The 2024 US presidential election has witnessed several key political developments over the past few months. It all began with a disastrous debate for President Joe Biden against Republican nominee Donald Trump. Then there were two assassination attempts on former president Trump. Around the same time, President Biden withdrew from the race and Vice President Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee in the presidential race. (Image: Reuters)
2 / 12Now rewind to 2020, there were several unprecedented moments that Americans witnessed after Joe Biden defeated the then-president, Trump. It led to multiple protests and the impeachment trial of a sitting president. Here’s recalling key moments after the 2020 US presidential election. (Image: Reuter)
3 / 121. Late counting: On November 3, 2020, the election night ended without a clear winner as millions of votes were yet to be counted. The delay was majorly due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Back then, few Trump supporters expressed concerns over possible fraud after seeing Biden taking the lead. (Image: Reuters)
4 / 122. During the 2020 election, the voter turnout rose 7 percentage points compared to 2016, resulting in 66% of US adult citizens casting ballots. Ultimately, Biden defeated Trump 306-232 and had a 4-point margin in the popular vote. (Image: Reuters)
5 / 123. Trump refused to concede and claimed the election was “rigged,” adding that Biden did not actually beat him. In a post on X, he wrote, “He won because the Election was Rigged.” (Image: Reuters)
6 / 124. Post the results, Trump and his presidential campaign, along with the allies, challenged the legitimacy of the 2020 US election, claiming widespread electoral fraud. Dozens of legal challenges were filed in both the state and federal courts, which were later rejected. (Image: Reuters)
7 / 125. After the elections, several Trump supporters engaged in multiple demonstrations at various locations, including Washington, DC, state capitals, and others, echoing the then-president’s claims of election fraud. During these protests, clashes and street scuffles were also witnessed. (Image: Reuters)
8 / 126. Trump was charged with plotting to overturn his defeat in the 2020 election. On January 6, 2021, several Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol to thwart the certification of Biden’s election victory. (Image: Reuters)
9 / 127. On that day, Trump addressed his supporters in Washington and said, “I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard”. He ended his speech by saying that if people do not fight, “you’re not going to have a country anymore.” (Image: Reuters)
10 / 128. Second impeachment: Trump later became the first president in US history to be impeached twice. He was charged with “incitement of insurrection” over the deadly storming of Congress. However, he was later acquitted as the Senate failed to achieve the two-thirds majority required to convict. (Image: Reuters)
11 / 129. Soon after the “not guilty” verdict, Trump thanked Republicans for standing in his support and called it “another phase of the greatest witch-hunt in the history of our country”. However, he expressed no remorse over the violence. (Image: Reuters)
12 / 1210. Over the past few years, the story behind Trump’s loss witnessed several twists and turns, altogether showcasing how little he appeared to prepare himself emotionally for his defeat against the person, whom he had deemed ‘unworthy’. (Image: Reuters)