Aftertwocenturies,violentriotersonceagainstormedtheUSCapitol.In1814,BritishtroopsfoughttheirwaytoWashington,wheretheyburnedseveralAmericangovernmentbuildings,includingtheCapitol.Thistime,however,theinvadersareTrumpsupportersfromdifferentpartsoftheUnitedStates.TheCapitol,symbolofdemocracyinAmerica,wasbuiltbyunitedAmericans,butovernight,itbecamethetargetofthemobs.AlthoughpeoplehadlongbeenawarethatTrumpfrequentlyinstigatedhissupporterstoprotestagainsttheelectioncertification,andtheMayorofWashingtonhadannouncedaclearwarningaswell,theywerestillextremelyastonishedwhenthemoviescenecametoreallife.Doesthiscountrystillhaveahighlymatureandstabledemocraticsystemwhichmadeitspeoplesoproud?WhatfallsalongwiththeCapitolistheso-called‘‘beaconofdemocracy’’thattheUnitedStateshasbeenstrivingtobuild.TheforemostforcebehindthisriotcamefromtheWhiteHouse.SincetheAmericanelectionsonNovember4,2020,theWhiteHousehasbecometheeyeofthestorm.Claimingvoterfraud,takinglegalactions,pressuringGeorgiaSecretaryofStatetorecountelectionvotes,callingforsupportersto‘marchonWashington’,Trumpdidnotperformlikeanincumbentpresident,butmorelikeanopponentandrebeloftheexistingsystem.IntheeyesofsomeAmericans,theresultsoftheelectionsarenolongerimportantandcredible,andtheirself-identificationandself-admirationaretheonlytruth.AftertheCapitolwascleared,SenatorRomneyblamedtheriotson“aselfishpresidentwithimpairedself-esteemandhisangrysupporters”.SuchascenehasneveroccurredinAmericanhistoryduringthetransitionofpower.TherealboosterofthisfarceistheseriouspoliticalpolarizationoftheUnitedStates.Insuchenvironment,tomakedifferentsocialgroupsreachingconsensusisdifficult.Infaceofalmostallpolitical,economic,andsocialissues,theAmericansocietyismadeupofevenlydividedcampswrestlingwitheachother.Toleranceandpluralismarenolongerregardedasvirtues,butascowardiceandsurrender.ArethosewhocapturedtheUSCongress‘thugs’or‘heroes’?Afterthiselection,thepoliticalworriescausedbythetorn-outAmericansocietyarousedgreatconcernamonganalysts,butatthattimemostpeopledidnotbelievethedisaccordcouldcauseaseriouspublicconflict.Now,theviolentstormhasturnedpoliticalworriesintoashockingreality.ForPresident-electBiden,theimpactcouldbehuge.HowtoreconstructtheUSpoliticalsystemandreshapeUSgloballeadershipwillbecometwomajorproblemsfacingthenewadministration.TohandletheAmerica’sdomesticsituation,thekeyliesinwhetherthenewAmericangovernmentcancompletelybreakfromTrumpism,whetheritcaneffectivelyrespondtothepandemic,whetheritcanresumeeconomicgrowth,andwhetheritcanbridgethechasminsociety.GoodnewsforBiden’steamisthattheDemocratswillgetcommandofboththeWhiteHouseandtheHousesofCongress,whilethetopRepublicanshavechangedtheirprevioushesitationonTrump’spoliticallegacyandquicklydrawalinewithPresidentTrumpaftertheviolenceinCongress.However,eveniftheWhiteHousechangeshands,thesituationofAmericanpoliticalpolarizationwillnotdisappear.WithoutTrump,Trumpismwillstillaffectlow-and-middleincomegroupsandconservatives.TorebuildAmericangloballeadership,establishmentelitesintheUShaveveryhighexpectationsontheBidenadministration.Itisclearthesamedifficultieswillrecur.OneimportantfactoristhattheappealoftheAmericandemocracytotheworldhasbeengreatlydamaged.Thedomesticsituationofacountryisthefoundationofitsdiplomacy.Thistime,thestormintheCapitolhaspulledtheAmericanpoliticalsystemoffthealtar.Howcanacountrywithmanydomesticproblemsbeabletotaketheresponsibilityofagloballeader?Aftertheriots,Americanpoliticiansstooduptocondemnviolenceandcallforunity.TheRepublicanandDemocraticpartiesreachedarareconsensusthistime.Therootsoftheproblemthatcausedthechaoshavenotbeenresolved.Infact,oncethe“beaconofdemocracy”falls,itwillneverbeeasilyre-establishedagain.ContributedbyHuangHaitao,NankaiUniversity,DepartmentofInternationalRelationsTranslatedbyRenMeiqi