WASHINGTON (AP) -- Vice President Mike Pence is among those who will not be attending President Donald Trump’s sendoff event at Joint Base Andrews.
A person familiar with Pence’s schedule cited “logistical challenges” in getting from the air base to President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration ceremonies on Wednesday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss scheduling decisions.
According to The Hill, the top two Republicans in Congress — House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Sen. Mitch McConnell — are also not planning to attend Trump's send-off. McCarthy and McConnell have also been invited by Biden to attend a pre-inauguration church service Wednesday morning.
Much of Washington, D.C., is under lockdown, with thousands of National Guard troops on patrol and other security precautions in place. The caution comes weeks after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol to try to stop Congress from confirming Biden’s victory. Trump and Pence’s relationship has been strained since Trump tried to pressure Pence to stop the election certification and Trump supporters roaming the Capitol chanted, “Hang Mike Pence!” after the president tweeted disapprovingly of him.
Trump will be only the fourth president in the nation’s history not to attend his successor’s inauguration. He is boycotting the event and will be flying to Florida on Wednesday morning.
Aides have been organizing an elaborate sendoff, but it is unclear how many invitees plan to attend. Among them is Anthony Scaramucci, the former White House communications director who became a Trump critic. He quipped on Twitter that he couldn’t make it because he was “having my fingernails pulled out at that time.”