US President Donald Trump has decided to leave the inauguration of his successor, Joe Biden, at the US Capitol on January 20.
Photographer: Samuel Corum / Bloomberg
Photographer: Samuel Corum / Bloomberg
White House officials are planning a farewell ceremony for Donald Trump as he leaves Washington for the last time as president on Wednesday morning, according to a copy of the invitation seen by Bloomberg News.
The event is scheduled for 8 a.m. at Joint Base Andrews just outside the country’s capital, where the outgoing president will depart for Florida aboard Air Force One. Invitations were sent to supporters, including former administration officials and other supporters, to arrive at 7:15 p.m.
Trump has decided to leave the inauguration of his successor, Joe Biden, to the US Capitol on January 20, becoming the first living US president in more than a century to choose not to attend the regular exchange of power . Trump would rather be in his Mar-a-Lago resort as the incoming president is sworn in this afternoon.
A White House spokesman declined to comment.
Some White House staffers will be on the South Lawn for lifting the presidential helicopter with Trump on board, though attendance will be limited. Strict security measures throughout downtown Washington and especially near the White House will make it difficult for outdoor guests to access the campus.
Trump’s decision not to attend the inauguration was announced by the president on January 8, two days after a crowd of his loyalists looted the Capitol in a riot that left five people dead. An unprecedented security cord surrounds the heart of the country’s capital in the aftermath of the attack.