Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas ordered Jan. 6, 2025, the date in which the certification of the presidential vote will occur, as a “national special security event,” according to multiple reports. It will be the first time that such a designation occurs in this country. The efforts to increase security were granted in response to a special request from Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Fox News reported.

“This marks the first time a National Special Security Event designation has been granted for a Certification of Electoral Votes and follows a request made by the DC Mayor to designate this event a National Special Security Event,” the United States Secret Service announced in a release. “Various reports, including from the House Select January 6 Committee and the Government Accountability Office, also called for the DHS Secretary to consider a National Special Security Event designation for future Certification of Electoral Votes.”

“This designation allows for significant resources from the federal government, as well as from state and local partners, to be utilized in a comprehensive security plan,” noted the release. “When an event is designated a National Special Security Event, the U.S. Secret Service assumes its mandated role as the lead agency for the design and implementation of the operational security plan.”

Muriel’s request for the special designation is widely considered a direct response to the riot of Jan. 6, 2021. It was one of the topics discussed in Tuesday night’s presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

“Donald Trump left us the worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War,” Harris said during the debate on Tuesday night. 

Many others have cited the incident as an attack on the country’s democracy and repeatedly used it as an example of political extremism. In 2025, multiple government agencies, including the United States Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security, will synergize their efforts to prevent such an attack. The additional security measures implemented will attempt to eliminate any risks or security breaches.

“National Special Security Events are events of the highest national significance,” said Eric Ranaghan of the U.S. Secret Service. “The U.S. Secret Service, in collaboration with our federal, state, and local partners are committed to developing and implementing a comprehensive and integrated security plan to ensure the safety and security of this event and its participants.”