US President Joe Biden will attend the inauguration ceremony of his predecessor and successor Donald Trump on January 20 in Washington, the White House said on Monday, after the Republican had refused to attend that of the Democrat in 2021.
“The president promised he would attend the inauguration of whoever wins the election. He and the first lady will honor this promise and attend the inauguration of Donald Trump, Andrew Bates, deputy spokesperson for the White House, told the press, thus contrasting with the billionaire’s decision four years ago. .
The United States was then on edge, marked by the assault on the Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump on January 6, the date of certification of Joe Biden’s victory. A day of violence fueled by Donald Trump’s baseless accusations of electoral fraud during the election.
Four years later, Joe Biden considers his presence at the inauguration “as an important demonstration of the commitment to respect our democratic values and to honor the will of the people, while we continue to ensure an orderly and effective transition”, a added Andrew Bates.
During the election campaign, Joe Biden repeatedly portrayed Donald Trump as a danger to democracy, but the president pledged to make the transition of power as smooth as possible after the Republican’s victory against Kamala Harris on November 5 .
The two presidents met a few days later at the White House at the invitation of Joe Biden, who congratulated his rival on his victory in the election.
