Trump made the announcement a day after conceding defeat and agreeing to facilitate a peaceful transition of power.
President Donald Trump has confirmed he will not attend the inauguration of Joe Biden on January 20th, breaking with a long-standing tradition. "To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th," tweeted the President, confirming rumors he won't attend the inauguration ceremony. This comes two days after his supporters stormed Capitol Hill in the hope of overturning the election in Trumps' favor. The attack was incited by Donald Trump but left the President forced to decry MAGA extremists. He announced a day later that he conceded defeat and would facilitate a peaceful transition of power. Sources suggest it was Trump's close aides who urged him to release a video confirming he would leave office on January 20th. Trump watched on as Republicans jumped ship one by one and denounced him following the attack on Capitol Hill. All blame for the riots was laid at Trump's door.
To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2021
According to CNN, Trump agreed to a peaceful transfer of power only after his daughter Ivanka Trump, White House counsel Pat Cipollone, chief of staff Mark Meadows among others told Trump that he could be removed from office if he didn't condemn the violence perpetrated by his supporters. Congress members have been speculating impeaching Trump with 2 weeks left or invoking the 25th Amendment which enables his cabinet to vote him out of office. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said they would impeach Trump if Mike Pence or the cabinet didn't invoke the 25th amendment. “If the vice president and the Cabinet refuse to stand up, Congress should reconvene to impeach the president,” said Schumer, reported The Huffington Post. Unlike the last impeachment attempt, Trump doesn't enjoy the same backing among Republicans. Trump continues to maintain that the election was stolen from him despite courts confirming that there was no question of elections being rigged.
If Trump is impeached by the House, it will make him the first President to be impeached twice. Sources close to the Republican party say there are members of Congress who want him impeached. After condemning his supporters, Trump reverted to praising them a day later. "The 75,000,000 great American Patriots who voted for me, AMERICA FIRST, and MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, will have a GIANT VOICE long into the future," wrote Trump on Twitter. "They will not be disrespected or treated unfairly in any way, shape, or form!!!" While Trump fluctuates between supporting and condemning them, many of his supporters, who stormed Capitol Hill, face the prospect of going to jail.
Don’t call these cabinet resignations anything but a Profile in Cowardice.
— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) January 8, 2021
They’re resigning to avoid invoking the 25th amendment.
Congress & the people see right through it.
We must impeach & remove.
Multiple media reports suggest Vice President Mike Pence is against the idea of invoking the 25th Amendment to remove President Donald Trump from office but he is under pressure from Democrats and even some Republicans. With just two weeks left on Trump's four-year term, the quickest way to remove Trump is to use the 25th Amendment which will require his cabinet to vote him out. Two members of his cabinet including Betsy DeVos have already resigned after condemning the actions of the President over his rhetoric that instigated the MAGA terrorists. As multiple House representatives suggested, there is a real possibility that they may have resigned in order to avoid voting against Trump should the 25th amendment be invoked. "Betsy DeVos has never done her job to help America’s students. It doesn’t surprise me one bit that she’d rather quit than do her job to help invoke the 25th Amendment. Good riddance, Betsy. You were the worst Secretary of Education ever," tweeted Senator Elizabeth Warren.