Photographer: Brendan Smialowski / AFP / Getty Images
Photographer: Brendan Smialowski / AFP / Getty Images
Donald Trump will leave the White House for the last time on Wednesday as president and skip Joe Biden’s inauguration and instead throw a military outing for himself before leaving for his Florida resort.
After the event in Andrews outside Washington, Trump will fly to Palm Beach, Florida, where he plans to live in his Mar-a-lago resort. He becomes the first American president since the 19th century to skip his successor’s swearing-in ceremony.
Trump’s departure marks the end of one of the most divisive and chaotic presidencies in modern American history. His term culminated on January 6, when the outgoing president incited a crowd of his supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol in a failed but deadly attempt to stop lawmakers from confirming his election defeat.
He leaves Washington in a state of military exclusion, with about 25,000 National Guard troops deployed across the city to protect against further attacks on the government. Long fences surround the White House and the Capitol; roads and bridges were blocked to restrict access to the National Mall.
Members of the National Guard outside the U.S. Capitol on January 19th.
Photographer: Stefani Reynolds / Bloomberg
The White House struggled to find guests to attend the farewell event for Trump, who alienated allies and staff during his tenure with unusual speed and frequency. A few key figures in his administration and partners on Capitol Hill – including Senate leader Mitch McConnell and top Republican Kevin McCarthy – turned down the invitation, according to people familiar with the matter.
The White House made some strange choices for its invitation list. Several former Trump aides who have become outspoken critics of the president have received invitations, including financier Anthony Scaramucci, who was briefly White House communications director in 2017 but publicly pleaded guilty to Trump’s accusations by 2019.
Former Chief of Staff John Kelly and former National Security Advisor John Bolton and his deputy, Charlie Kupperman, were also invited. None of them will attend.
While some have quarreled with Trump over policy matters, others have distanced themselves from him since the violent uprising two weeks ago that left five people dead, including a U.S. police officer in the Capitol. The episode led to the accusation of Trump, making him the first president to be charged twice. The Senate is expected to begin its trial after he leaves office.
Just two days after the riot, Trump announced his decision not to attend Biden’s inauguration. Authorities are worried about more violence, leading to an unprecedented security perimeter, with high fences and military vehicles around the heart of the country’s capital.
At the same time, Trump is shaking the nation from a raging coronavirus pandemic that has killed about 400,000 people in the US and shattered the economy. Although the rise of vaccines may lower the infection rates, the country is still suffering from the economic cost of pandemic-related cessation.