Daily US Times: President Donald Trump made it clear on Friday he won’t attend Joe Biden’s inauguration on January 20, undercutting his message a day earlier that he would work to ensure a “smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power” to his successor.
Mr Trump offered no clues for how he would spend his final hours in the White House, and will be the first incumbent president since Andrew Johnson to skip his successor’s inauguration. Traditionally, the incoming and outgoing presidents ride to the US Capitol together for the ceremony, as a symbol of the country’s peaceful transition.
President Trump’s comments come two days after a violent pro-Trump mob occupied the Capitol building for several hours as lawmakers were tallying the electoral votes that certified President-elect Joe Biden’s victory. Joe Biden’s inauguration will take place on January 20 regardless of Trump’s plans.
Trump tweeted: “To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th.”
The move had been widely expected, as the president, a Republican, for months falsely claimed victory in the November 3 election and promulgated baseless claims of widespread voter fraud. Trump’s own administration said the election had been fairly run.
Vice President Mike Pence was expected to attend the inauguration as his spokesman Devin Malley said “Vice President Pence and the Second Lady have yet to make a decision regarding their attendance.”
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