The dissolution of one of America’s most enduring transference-of-power rituals – the outgoing president welcoming the incoming president on the steps of northern Portico and then driving with them to the American capital – is just one of the sticks what the Trumps are committing while leaving Washington.
Instead of a president and first lady, the Bidens will be greeted by Timothy Harleth, the White House chief, according to a source familiar with the day’s events and planning. Harleth, a 2017 tenant of Trump at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, is unlikely to stay in the Biden administration, the source said, pointing out that the role of chief executive will in all likelihood be filled by someone more familiar with the incoming president and first lady.
On the afternoon of Inauguration Day, then-President Biden will attend a ceremonial wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, with former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama. During these hours, most of the Bidens’ personal belongings are moved to the White House and unpacked, according to another source with knowledge of practice for executive residences.
“Moving furniture and vacuuming, cleaning skirting boards, vacuuming, wiping curtains, cleaning chandeliers, washing windows, high dusting,” according to the residence source, is covered during the traditional move in of a new president and his family. “The cleanup will begin as soon as Donald Trump and Melania Trump leave.”
A specific focus on this move will be paid to the bedrooms in the residence, where new mattresses and box springs for the incoming first family are the standard procedure according to the source. Yet one part of the bedroom lineup with the Bidens will be noticeably different than for the Trumps: the Bidens will share a bedroom. According to a source with knowledge of the arrangement, Melania Trump spent most of her time in the White House in the suite with large bedrooms typically reserved for presidents and their spouses, adjacent to the West Sitting Hall.
“Donald Trump slept in his own bedroom, which used to be a study or a pit during other administrations,” the source said.
On Monday, moving trucks were spotted in the driveways of Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, with movers loading boxes and objects and rolling them into the private club, which will serve as the Trumps’ home to the White House. , which is currently the plan, said another source with knowledge of the planned life arrangements and safety arrangements that have been put in place.
Series of snubs
The Inauguration Day snub of the Biden’s comes on the heels of a series of broken norms and childish behaviors that come directly from the President of the United States, who has expressed his disinterest in any semblance of decency towards the man who will succeed, to preserve. him.
According to various sources, Trump is even considering whether he should write a letter to Biden to leave for him in the Oval Office, a tradition that is standard.
Melania Trump, who has not been seen in public for more than two weeks, did not reach out to Jill Biden, and it was expected that she would continue her hospitality to her successor and offer her for a tour.
Even after controversial election cycles, first ladies and presidents have set aside hard feelings and egos, no matter how bruised, until now.
“I am reminded of both interactions that then-First Lady Hillary Clinton had with Barbara Bush in 1992 when she first arrived at the White House, and in 2000 when she received Laura Bush,” said a former senior Clinton official. government told CNN. “Both were controversial campaigns and both visits could not have been more gracious and welcoming.”
And while the Bidens have a unique perspective that they have visited the White House several times throughout Joe Biden’s decades of political career, the lack of politeness of the Trumps is obvious.
“It’s horrible,” said another former White House official who worked in the Trump administration.
Some traditions apply
However, small amounts of decoration during the transition are practiced. CNN has learned of at least three Trump administration officials using private communications channels over the past month to reach their Biden administration counterparts, despite the president not conceding his loss.
Over the weekend, Trump’s official White House photographer Shealah Craighead was spotted by CNN taking a tour of the White House photo office to Adam Schultz and Chandler West, Biden’s incoming official photographer and photo editor, respectively. While photographers point to one end of the spectrum, Vice President Mike Pence will point to the other.
Pence spoke for the first time with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on Thursday, the highest contact to date between outgoing and incoming administrations. According to a person familiar with Pence, their conversation was described as cordial. CNN reached out to second lady Karen Pence’s office to see if she had made the same gesture to incoming second Mr. Doug Emhoff and received no response.
The Pences were still performing official duties on Sunday, visiting troops at Fort Drum in New York. Karen Pence was emotional and referred to her last official trip during her remarks.
“Here I go,” she said, pausing for a moment at a podium inside the hangar, trying to catch herself before more tears rolled down her face. “It’s such an honor to be here with you.”
On Sunday, invitations were sent to Trump’s circle asking them to attend his and Melania Trump’s departure party at the Joint Base Andrews – and bring up to five guests – before boarding Air Force One early Wednesday morning for their final trip. on the boarding plane, which will deposit it in Florida.
Trump has told staff that he wants his tarmac to include all the splendor and circumstances he feels he deserves, including a 21-Gun Salute, red carpet and military Color Guard. On Monday afternoon, an administration official told CNN the bells and whistles could all be for a very large audience of one – the president – and a small audience of others: ‘So far there have not been so many answers. “
CNN’s Kate Andersen Brower, Jeff Zeleny and Kevin Liptak contributed to this report.