WASHINGTON (NewsNation Now) — President Donald Trump said on Friday he will not attend Joe Biden’s inauguration.
In a tweet, Trump said: “To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th.”
Trump offered no clues for how he would spent his final hours in office, and will be the first incumbent president since Andrew Johnson to skip his successor’s swearing-in. Traditionally, the incoming and outgoing presidents ride to the U.S. Capitol together for the ceremony, as a symbol of the nation’s peaceful transition.
Trump’s comments come two days after a violent mob of his supporters occupied the Capitol for several hours as lawmakers were tallying the electoral votes that certified Biden’s victory. It also follows the president’s message Thursday that he would work to ensure a “smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power” to his successor — though he declined to mention Biden by name or explicitly state he had lost.
Biden will become president at noon on Jan. 20 regardless of Trump’s plans.
Trump’s decision had been widely expected, as Trump for months falsely claimed victory in the election and promulgated baseless claims of voter fraud. His own administration said the election had been fairly run.
Vice President Mike Pence is still expected to attend the inauguration.
Biden’s transition team had no immediate comment on Trump’s announcement. But Jen Psaki, the president-elect’s incoming White House press secretary, said last month that whether Trump attended the inauguration was not top of mind for Biden.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.