Trump confirms he won't attend Biden's inauguration
President Trump will officially refuse to attend President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration.
In a short tweet on Friday, Trump confirmed he won't be in attendance when Biden is sworn in as the next president, writing, "To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th."
Trump had been expected to skip Biden's inauguration after refusing to concede the election and falsely claiming he won. He "will be the first incumbent president since Andrew Johnson to skip his successor's swearing-in," The Associated Press reports. According to The Washington Post, Johnson, "who detested incoming President Ulysses S. Grant," "decided to be a no-show at Grant's inauguration at the last minute" in 1869.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Some subsequent presidents missed a swearing-in under different circumstances, as Woodrow Wilson didn't attend Warren G. Harding's inauguration for health reasons, and Richard Nixon wasn't at Gerald Ford's swearing-in after resigning over Watergate, Bloomberg reports.
Following months of baseless election fraud claims, Trump posted a video on Thursday finally acknowledging a "new administration" will begin later this month and saying his "focus now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly, and seamless transition of power." The president, CNN's Kaitlan Collins reports, was "still recently asking people if he should attend" the inauguration, and Politico reported this week he may leave for his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida the day before. Still, Politico also reported that Vice President Mike Pence is expected to be in attendance for Biden's inauguration.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Octopuses could be the next big species after humans
UNDER THE RADAR What has eight arms, a beaked mouth, and is poised to take over the planet when we're all gone?
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Sudoku medium: December 23, 2024
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Crossword: December 23, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Top Russian general killed in Moscow blast
Speed Read A remote-triggered bomb killed Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia's Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defense
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Why Assad fell so fast
The Explainer The newly liberated Syria is in an incredibly precarious position, but it's too soon to succumb to defeatist gloom
By The Week UK Published
-
NATO chief urges Europe to arm against Russia
Speed Read Mark Rutte said Putin wants to 'wipe Ukraine off the map' and might come for other parts of Europe next
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
New Syria government takes charge, urging 'stability'
Speed Read The rebel forces that ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad announced an interim government
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Romania's election rerun
The Explainer Shock result of presidential election has been annulled following allegations of Russian interference
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Russia's shadow war in Europe
Talking Point Steering clear of open conflict, Moscow is slowly ratcheting up the pressure on Nato rivals to see what it can get away with.
By The Week UK Published
-
South Korea roiled by short-lived martial law
Speed Read President Yoon Suk Yeol's imposition of martial law was a 'clear violation of the constitution,' said the opposition parties who have moved to impeach him
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Syrian rebels seize Aleppo in surprise offensive
Speed Read The rebels made gains against President Bashar al-Assad’s forces and reignited Syria's 13-year-old civil war
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published