Traditionally, when the outgoing and incoming presidents meet in the West Wing, the first lady welcomes her successor to the residence floor. But her office said Melania Trump was not present, saying in a statement that “her husband’s return to the Oval Office” to begin the transition process is encouraging and she wishes him success.

When Trump left Washington in 2021, even some prominent Republicans had begun to denounce his role in inciting the mobilization of a mob of his supporters who had staged the violent attack on the Capitol a few weeks earlier, attempting to to prevent the certification of Biden’s electoral victory.

But his election victory last week completes a political comeback that has seen Trump once again become the undisputed leader of the Republican Party.

Wednesday’s trip, however, was not the first time Trump returned to the Capitol area since the end of his first term. Congressional Republicans welcomed Trump over the summer, as Trump once again consolidated his dominance over the party.

In last week’s elections, Republicans wrested the Senate majority from Democrats and are poised to retain control of the House. They are in the process of conducting their own leadership elections which take place behind closed doors on Wednesday. Johnson moved ever closer to Trump as he struggled to retain his majority — and his own job with the gavel.

It’s unclear whether Trump will also head to the Senate, which is embroiled in an even more contentious closed-door election in the three-way race to replace outgoing Republican Party leader Mitch McConnell.