President Donald Trump leaves the White House for West Palm Beach, Florida, hours before the Biden inauguration, two sources say.
Two people familiar with the event told NBC News that Trump will depart the White House on the inauguration day of President-elect Joe Biden.
He is expected to give final remarks as commander in chief during a farewell ceremony at Joint Base Andrews. Trump will fly on Air Force One for the last time to his private resort Mar-a-Lago. The White House did not give any comments.
Trump reiterated last week that he will be present at the inauguration. He is not the first outgoing president to not attend the inauguration of his successor. The others were Presidents John Adams, Andrew Johnson, and John Quincy Adams, according to the White House Historical Association.
Trump initially refused to concede the election following the victory of Biden.
“The simple fact is this election is far from over,” Trump said in a statement issued minutes after NBC predicted that Biden had become president-elect.
“Joe Biden has not been certified as the winner of any states, let alone any of the highly contested states headed for mandatory recounts, or states where our campaign has valid and legitimate legal challenges that could determine the ultimate victor,” Trump said.
Trump mentioned that his team then would begin “prosecuting our case in court to ensure election laws are fully upheld.”
Still, he approved an emergency declaration for Biden’s inauguration following the riots in the US Capitol. The request for a federal emergency declaration was made by Mayor Muriel Bowser on Sunday in the wake of the riots at the US Capitol on 6 January.
After Biden’s confirmation, Trump sent a message through Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff for communications, stating there would be “an orderly transition on January 20th.”
Vice President Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence are expected to witness Biden’s inauguration.
The Obamas, Clintons, as well as former President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush, will be attending the inauguration.
Former President Jimmy Carter will skip the event due to Covid and health conditions, according to a spokesperson. Carter, the oldest living president at 96, and former first lady Rosalyn Carter were present at the inaugurations of Barack Obama and Trump.
Trump’s decision to skip Biden’s inauguration came one day after he conceded the presidential election. He then acknowledged “a new administration will be inaugurated on Jan. 20” in a nearly three-minute video.
“My focus now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly, and seamless transition of power,” the president said in his first video statement following the Capitol riots.
“Now tempers must be cooled, and calm restored. We must get on with the business of America,” Trump said of the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol.
The Capitol riots led to the death of five people, including a Capitol Police officer.
The National Guard transferred 20,000 troops to D.C. to help protect the US Capitol and Biden’s inauguration after last week’s violence.
