The White House announced Monday that US President Joe Biden will attend Donald Trump’s January inauguration, citing it as a “commitment to our democratic values” even though Trump did not attend Biden’s own swearing-in.
Following his false claims that Biden’s election victory was a hoax and his incitement of a crowd of supporters to assault the US Capitol, then-President Trump declined to attend Biden’s inauguration in 2021.
“The president promised that he would attend the inauguration of whomever won the election,” Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates told reporters flying with Biden on Air Force One.
“He and the first lady are going to honor that promise and attend the inauguration.”
Bates added: “He views that as an important demonstration of commitment to our democratic values and to honoring the will of the people, as we continue to provide an orderly and effective transition.”
Democrat Biden has made it a point to give Trump the seamless transition that the Republican denied him, even though he has called Trump a threat to democracy on numerous occasions throughout the 2024 campaign.
The week following the elections on November 5, when Trump defeated Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in a historic comeback, Biden invited President-elect Trump to the White House.
After a dismal debate performance against Trump sparked concerns among Democrats about his age and mental capacity, Biden, 82, abandoned his own candidacy for a second term in July and endorsed Harris.
