Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: On December 31, 2020, at 12.36 AM, US President Donald Trump tweeted: “January sixth. See you in DC!”
The six-word cryptic message to America by its President—outgoing or incoming?—has shocked the country like never before in its 244-year history. Rarely has Washing DC been so uncertain as to who will be the new President about three weeks from now.
Will Trump stage a last-ditch coup in the Congress against President-elect Joe Biden? Will the Congress overturn results of the presidential election on November 3, 2020?
Hundreds of thousands of Americans asked these questions since, and actively reacted to this tweet.
They have reasons to be worried. After his initial outbursts and claims, Trump was lying low for some time, even allowing transition plans of his successor. His sudden tweet on the last day of December, however, spoiled the holiday mood of many Americans.
The question nagging the Americans on the first day of 2021 was: Will Trump continue as the President, or be replaced by Joe Biden on January 20?
Already, social media was flooded with rumors and speculations.
“This is a stunning moment in American history if these numbers are correct. It means a majority of House Republicans will vote to overturn a presidential election,” Marty Kady tweeted. “Two House Republicans tell me they expect, as of now, at least 140 Republican members of the House will on January 6 object to and vote against the Electoral College results showing President-elect Biden won,” tweeted Jack Tapper.
Those who still cannot see beyond the results of the November 3 election, in which the Democrat challenger ‘defeated’ incumbent Trump in the race to the White House, should wait for January 6 when the US Congress meets to certify Biden’s election as the next President.
The bicameral US Congress has 435 members in the (Lower) House of Representatives and 100 in the (Upper House) Senate. The Democrats dominate the Lower House with 233 members against the Republicans’ 195; in the Senate, however, the Republicans dominate with 52 members against the Democrats’ 46.
Trump, and his supporters, believe they will be able to muster a majority and stage a coup in the Congress to win what they lost in the Electoral College.
That, apparently, was why Trump cut short by a day his New Year’s eve trip (December 23, 2020, to January 2, 2021) to Florida and returned to the White House. As he rushed back to the White House, he also canceled the New Year party in Florida.
Nobody is sure what will really happen on January 6.
Although Trump declined to say why he changed plans, Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri gave some indication. He said he would challenge Biden’s election, and force a debate. He will object to the Electoral College result when the Congress meets on January 6 to affirm Biden as the winner.
Despite losing several battleground states by clear margins and voter fraud claims in six states rejected, even by the Supreme Court, Trump has refused to concede. He is still attempting to win back the White House at a time Biden is putting together his team and readying to take oath on January 20.