Four years ago this week, after losing a fair election, Donald Trump made a shocking attempt to overturn the results and seize power through a violent insurrection at the heart of our government. It was a direct attack on the very principles that uphold democracy. Fast forward to today, and President Joe Biden is asking us to remember that moment—but his actions seem to say something else.
While Biden tells us to never forget the assault on our democracy, he is preparing to extend courtesies to the very person who tried to destroy it. On January 20, Trump will likely be invited back to the White House, and Biden will be there to greet him. But why? Why continue to treat someone who posed such a dire threat to the nation as just another politician? Why normalize someone who has shown no respect for democratic norms?
It’s a tough question. Biden’s message to the public is that democracy stood strong, despite the insurrection. Yet his actions seem to downplay the gravity of the situation, as if everything is back to normal. And while the peaceful transition of power is a cornerstone of American democracy, the “courtesies” that Biden extends to Trump don’t seem necessary—they’re just politeness. In fact, there’s no rule requiring Biden to invite Trump or attend his inauguration. He’s choosing to do it. And that’s where things get tricky.
Biden’s desire to show respect for democratic norms is understandable, but there’s a fine line between courtesy and complacency. When Trump refused to attend Biden’s inauguration, democracy survived. But when Biden continues to invite Trump into the fold as if nothing is amiss, we risk sending the wrong message.
In an op-ed published this week, Biden claimed that “democracy was put to the test—and prevailed.” While that may be true, by treating Trump’s return as business as usual, Biden is inadvertently erasing the seriousness of what happened. It wasn’t just a protest that got out of hand—it was an attack on democracy itself. And normalizing Trump’s second chance at power might make it seem like we’ve simply moved past it, when, in reality, the threat is still very much alive.
Biden could make a choice that better aligns with his words. He could withdraw his invitation to Trump, refuse to attend the inauguration, and speak out against the growing influence of Trump’s criminal actions. These are actions that would make it clear: This is not business as usual. We cannot forget what happened.
Some may argue that Biden should avoid confrontation for the sake of peace—after all, doing otherwise could risk alienating his own party or inciting backlash. But is peace really worth compromising on the truth? If we normalize evil, we risk forgetting the crimes committed against our democracy.
The truth is, as long as we treat Trump as a “normal” politician, we make it easier to forget the threat he posed. And if we forget, we risk allowing the same dangers to creep in unnoticed.
We cannot afford to forget. We must remember the crime—and never let it seem normal again.
