This article outlines United States-related events which occurred in the year 2021.
The COVID-19 pandemic continued to heavily impact the US, with the emergence of numerous COVID-19 variants leading to a substantial rise in both infections and deaths across the country.
Though Donald Trump lost his bid to be re-elected president of the United States to former vice president Joe Biden, Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election have continued throughout the year. On January 6, a minority of pro-Trump protestors stormed the Capitol building and temporarily halted the formal counting of electoral votes in Congress.
2021 was additionally defined by protests against COVID-19 lockdowns in response to the pandemic, as well as the beginning of a period of high inflation and ongoing protests mostly against police brutality. The year also saw an extremely active Atlantic hurricane season, a destructive wildfire season in California, and a power crisis in Texas.
Incumbents Federal government President: Donald Trump (R-Florida) (until January 20) Joe Biden (D-Delaware) (starting January 20) Vice President: Mike Pence (R-Indiana) (until January 20) Kamala Harris (D-California) (starting January 20) Chief Justice: John Roberts (Maryland) Speaker of the House of Representatives: Nancy Pelosi (D-California) Senate Majority Leader: Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) (until January 20) Chuck Schumer (D-New York) (starting January 20) Congress: 116th (until January 3), 117th (starting January 3)
State governments Governors and lieutenant governors Governors
Lieutenant governors
Ongoing events COVID-19 pandemic in the United States COVID-19 protests in the United States United States racial unrest (2020–2023) Aftermath of the January 6 United States Capitol attack
Events
January
January 1 COVID-19 pandemic in the United States: The United States surpasses 20million cases of COVID-19. The U.S. Senate votes 81–13 for the National Defense Authorization Act 2021, overriding a veto by President Donald Trump for the only time in his presidency. Montana Initiative 190 comes into effect, making Montana the 13th state to legalize recreational cannabis. Public Domain Day: All books and films published in 1925 enter the public domain in the United States. January 2 – COVID-19 pandemic: New York becomes the fourth state to surpass one million COVID-19 cases, following Texas, California, and Florida. January 3 – The Washington Post publishes an audio recording of President Donald Trump urging Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to change the state's 2020 presidential election results in his favor. January 4 – COVID-19 pandemic: Michigan surpasses 500,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases. January 5 Two runoff elections are held in Georgia to decide U.S. Senate seats, with incumbent Senator Kelly Loeffler facing Raphael Warnock and Senator David Perdue facing Jon Ossoff. President Donald Trump signs an executive order barring transactions with eight Chinese software applications (including Alipay, WeChat Pay, and Tencent QQ) citing concerns about Chinese access to sensitive data of American citizens. January 6 Five people die and at least 56 police officers and five civilians are injured after supporters of President Donald Trump storm the United States Capitol, forcing Congress to evacuate. Congress reconvenes and formally certifies Joe Biden as the next president of the United States on the morning of January 7. President Trump formally concedes to an orderly transition of power to Joe Biden. During the Electoral College vote count, Senator Ted Cruz and Representative Paul Gosar object to Arizona's election results, the first time a vote is forced to accept or reject the objection since 2004. Representative Scott Perry and Senator Josh Hawley subsequently object to Pennsylvania's election results. January 7 Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk becomes the world's richest person, with a net worth exceeding $185billion, surpassing Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. Facebook indefinitely bans President Donald Trump from all of its platforms, citing his role in the January 6 Capitol riot.Trump blocked by Twitter and Facebook BBC, January 7, 2021 Twitter permanently suspends Trump's personal account the next day, January 8. Betsy DeVos resigns as Education Secretary in protest of President Trump's role in the January 6 Capitol riot. January 8 Amid an industry crackdown on extremist content following the January 6 Capitol riot, Google removes the mobile app of social networking service Parler from Google Play. Apple suspends the app from its App Store the next day, January 9.Apple removes Parler from the App Store The Verge, January 9, 2021 Parler goes offline a day later, January 10, when Amazon ceases to provide its cloud computing services.Amazon Is Booting Parler Off Of Its Web Hosting Service BuzzFeed News, January 9, 2021 After 36 years, Alex Trebek's final episode of Jeopardy! airs. Ken Jennings becomes the temporary host on January 11 as the search for a new permanent host continues.Alex Trebek's final Jeopardy! episodes air this week WDIV-TV, January 4, 2021 January 9 – The Trump administration lifts longstanding restrictions on contacts between Taiwanese and U.S. officials. January 11 – Alabama Crimson Tide football head coach Nick Saban surpasses former head coach Bear Bryant for most national titles won in college football history, seven total, following a 52–24 win over the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2021 CFB National Championship. January 13 Donald Trump becomes the first U.S. president to be impeached for a second time, following a 232–197 vote in the House of Representatives. Former Governor of Michigan Rick Snyder is charged with two counts of willful neglect of duty in connection with the Flint water crisis. Former state health director Nick Lyon and many others are also charged.Flint water probe brings charges against ex-governor, others KWTX, January 14, 2021 Lisa Marie Montgomery is executed by the federal government, the first female federal inmate to be executed since 1953. COVID-19 pandemic: The NHL's shortened 2020–21 season begins, running for 56 games per team and ending on May 8.NHL announces a 56 game regular season starting January 13, 2021 WEYI-TV, December 20, 2020 January 14 – COVID-19 pandemic: Texas becomes the first state to administer one million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. January 15 – The National Rifle Association of America files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and announces plans to reincorporate in Texas. January 16 Dustin Higgs is executed by the federal government, becoming the 13th and final person to be executed by the Trump administration. President-elect Joe Biden announces he will elevate the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to a Cabinet-level position, making its nominated director Eric Lander the first biologist in the Cabinet, if confirmed by the U.S. Senate. January 17 – Riley June Williams, a 22-year-old woman suspected of stealing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's laptop during the January 6 Capitol riot, is charged by the FBI with intent to sell the device to Russian foreign intelligence services. January 18 Vice President-elect Kamala Harris resigns from her U.S. Senate seat. Her chosen successor, former California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, becomes the first Latino to represent California in the Senate.Harris resigns Senate seat ahead of swearing in as VP The Hill, January 18, 2021 The 1776 Report is released by the 1776 Commission. January 19 COVID-19 pandemic: Nationwide COVID-19 deaths surpass 400,000.COVID-19 death toll tops 400,000 as incoming CDC director expects "dark weeks ahead" CBS News, January 19, 2021 On his final full day in office, President Trump issues pardons for 144 people.Trump to issue more than 100 pardons before Biden sworn in The Guardian, January 18, 2021 New York State Office of Court Administration employee Brendan Hunt is arrested by the FBI for encouraging public executions of members of the U.S. Congress on social media. January 20 Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president of the United States. Kamala Harris becomes the first woman, first Asian American, and first African American to become Vice President of the United States.Inauguration Live Updates: Biden Is Sworn In as 46th President, Kicking Off New Era in Washington The New York Times, January 20, 2021 Donald Trump becomes the first outgoing president to boycott his successor's inauguration since Andrew Johnson in 1869. President Biden signs his first executive orders reversing several Trump administration actions, including rejoining the Paris Agreement and the World Health Organization, repealing the 2017 travel bans, ending funding for the Mexico–United States border wall, and revoking the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline.Biden sets to work on reversing Trump policies with executive orders BBC, January 20, 2021 January 21 – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves Cabenuva as a complete regimen for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. January 22 – Recreational cannabis sales begin in Arizona. January 24 COVID-19 pandemic: Nationwide confirmed COVID-19 cases surpass 25million.U.S. Tops 25 Million Confirmed Coronavirus Cases NPR, January 24, 2021 The Tampa Bay Buccaneers advance to Super Bowl LV after a 31–26 victory against the Green Bay Packers, the first time an NFL team will play the Super Bowl on their home field.Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-26 Green Bay Packers: Tom Brady to bid for seventh Super Bowl win BBC, January 24, 2021 January 25 President Biden repeals the Trump administration's ban on transgender personnel in the military. COVID-19 pandemic: Minnesota reports the first national case of the Lineage P.1 variant of SARS-CoV-2.Minnesota confirms first known U.S. case of more contagious Covid variant originally found in Brazil CNBC, January 25, 2021 Dominion Voting Systems sues former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, accusing him of defamation during the 2020 presidential election. January 26 COVID-19 pandemic: The Biden administration announces it will purchase 200million COVID-19 vaccine doses from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, in addition to the prior order of 400million.Biden administration orders additional 200 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine NBC News, January 26, 2021 January 27 The U.S. Army announces new personal grooming and appearance standards, relaxing rules regarding makeup and jewelry and allowing for more diverse hairstyles. President Biden signs a series of executive orders regarding climate change, including halting new oil and gas leases on public lands, procuring an all-electric federal vehicle fleet, and doubling offshore wind power by 2030. One of the 14 men accused in the Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping plot pleads guilty and agrees to testify against his co-defendants, with sentencing set for July 8. Investment funds report major losses after video game retailer GameStop's stock prices rise 900 times their record low.'Dumb Money' Is on GameStop, and It's Beating Wall Street at Its Own Game The New York Times, January 27, 2021 The next day, January 28, some financial services companies restrict the trade of stocks of several companies, including GameStop, triggering outrage online. January 31–February 3 – A major winter storm strikes the Northeastern United States, bringing nearly of snow to some areas, causing over 575,000 power outages, and killing six people.Winter storm heads into New England; New Yorkers dig out; biggest snowfall total 33 inches in Pa. USA Today, February 2, 2021
February February 1 Oregon Measure 110 comes into effect, making Oregon the first state to decriminalize the possession of small quantities of all illicit drugs.