January 7, 2021 - PBS NewsHour full episode

For years American adversaries argued democracy is too messy to be trusted, and Wednesday’s events gave them new ammunition. But while many U.S. allies lauded that democracy has prevailed after Joe Biden was certified as the next president, some were worried about the fragility of freedom. Nick Schifrin reports on reactions to the Capitol attack from around the globe.

President Trump continued to make false claims about election fraud Thursday as more Democrats called for his impeachment a day after the attacks in Washington, D.C. Yamiche Alcindor and Lisa Desjardins join Judy Woodruff to discuss what the final weeks of his administration may look like.

There were serious questions Thursday about security in and around the Capitol and why there weren't better preparations ahead of time. William Brangham reports.

The treatment of the violent mob at the Capitol by law enforcement versus the heavy-handed tactics employed on peaceful protests over racial justice has been widely talked about since Wednesday. Amna Nawaz spoke with Ibram X. Kendi, director of the Center for Antiracist Research at Boston University, to learn more.

In our news wrap Thursday, nearly 3,900 people died from COVID-19 Wednesday -- the highest one-day total so far, President-elect Joe Biden introduced federal Appeals Court Judge Merrick Garland as his pick for attorney general, fresh violence kills at least 23 civilians and security troops in Afghanistan, and the court system in Iraq has issued an arrest warrant for President Trump for murder.

Questions continued Thursday over President Trump's actions -- about how he stoked the mob at the Capitol and whether he's a danger as he continues to hold power. Kevin McAleenan was acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security under the Trump administration until November 2019. He joins Amna Nawaz to discuss how he sees this moment and the road ahead.