Outgoing US President Donald Trump has left the White House today, January 20, 2021.
Trump took off from the lawn of the White House in the company of his wife Melania.
The helicopter which conveyed the President took him around the premises of the White House to give him a final view before arriving at Joint Base Andrews.
Trump had demanded an ostentatious ceremony with a sprawling crowd but didn’t quite get the latter. TV footage showed several empty spaces among the people who had gathered in a viewing area.
READ ALSO: Trump mulls starting a new political party
Senior Republicans had shunned the event, including House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, in favour of attending Biden’s inauguration. Even Trump’s vice-president Mike Pence didn’t make it – a White House official told reporters it would be difficult for Pence to attend both the send-off and the inauguration.
Trump, who has not left the White House for over a week, had reportedly spent recent days in a dejected mood, but according to CNN, the outgoing president had been “eagerly anticipating” the send-off event.
The event took place ahead of the inauguration of incoming President Joe Biden and incoming Vice President Kamala Harris.
Biden who defeated Trump at the US presidential election of November 3, 2020, will be sworn-in today at 17:00 GMT.
The event will not be attended by Trump who continues to maintain his claim that the election was stolen from him.
The inauguration will, however, be graced by the outgoing Vice President Mike Pence, Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell and other GOP leaders.
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