Trump leaving DC before Biden inauguration as he doesn't want to borrow Air Force One as ex-POTUS: Report
President Donald Trump is set to leave Washington DC before Joe Biden is inaugurated on Wednesday as the 46th president of the United States, according to a report by CNN. Trump wants to leave before the inauguration as he does he not want to leave the White House as an ex-president; sources also said that he did not want to ask President-elect Biden if he could borrow Air Force One.
Tight security has been placed in DC ever since pro-Trump supporters breached the Capitol on January 6, when Congress was meeting to certify Biden's win in the 2020 presidential election. Biden will be sworn in "midday" on Wednesday, while Trump is set to fly to Florida from Joint Base Andrews. CNN further reported that Trump has not planned to write a letter to Biden to keep in the Oval Office at the Resolute Desk. While the president was initially planning to leave the White House a day before the inauguration, he changed his mind and has decided to depart on January 20 itself. As for the Bidens, they will follow tradition and spend the night before the inauguration at the presidential guest house, the Blair house.
How is the inauguration day planned out for Trump?
Interestingly, since Trump and Biden aren't set to meet before Biden is sworn in, CNN reported that a person "familiar" with the matter has revealed that the White House Military Office will ensure that there will be one nuclear football with Trump on his way to Florida, and one in Washington for Biden when he becomes president officially. Not to mention, Trump's "biscuit", a card with the nuclear codes on it, will not work past 12 pm.
On January 8, Trump had revealed that he would not be attending the inauguration, so reports of him wanting to leave DC before the inauguration holds some water. Of course, Trump would be breaking history considering he would be the first outgoing president to not attend the incoming president's inauguration ceremony since 1869.
The outlet further revealed that Trump is planning to leave the White House in Marine One from the South Lawn. There may be a military send off as well. While there were rumors that the president would be going to Scotland, they were shut down as Scotland's government has a coronavirus lockdown. It was reported by Bloomberg on Thursday that Trump would be flying to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
Recently, Trump became the first president to be impeached twice with 10 Republicans voting with House Democrats for the motion. Business Insider reported the president is also worried about "legal issues" he might have to face head-on after his term as president expires - he won't be protected under presidential immunity. Reportedly, Letitia James, New York's state's attorney general, is "conducting" an investigation into Trump Organization's "financial dealings" while Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr is investigating the organization on "suspicion of bank and insurance fraud.