AT LAST, IT’S THE BACK OF DONALD TRUMP
78 DAYS AFTER LOSING U.S. ELECTION, THE MAN WHO STILL SAYS HE WON IS FINALLY LEAVING WHITE HOUSE
AFTER four long years as America’s most controversial leader, the world today sees the back of President Donald Trump.
His exit came 78 days after he lost the bitterest election in US history... still claiming he was cheated out of the White House.
Mr Trump will use Air Force One for a final flight to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida with wife Melania rather than be at successor Joe Biden’s inauguration.
The last not to attend was Andrew Johnson as Ulysses S Grant took over in 1869.
Mr Trump had ordered his own farewell, including a full military parade at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, although the plan is said to have been vetoed. A fortnight after Trump fanatics stormed the US Capitol building to try to prevent the election result being ratified, Washington was protected by a huge ring of steel.
Some 25,000 National Guard troops are on the streets – but two were said to have been removed yesterday over far-right links.
Mr Trump – whose approval finally slipped to a record low of just 34 per cent – was believed to be using his last day in office to
pardon up to 100 people, including rapper Lil Wayne – facing ten years in prison on gun charges – who supported him in 2016.
Mr Biden will be sworn in as America’s 46th president at 5pm (UK time) with Kamala Harris as vice-president – the first woman in US history to hold such high office.
Lady Gaga will sing the national anthem with stars Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake, Garth Brooks and Jon Bon Jovi also appearing.
Coronavirus rules mean supporters are banned – instead a Field of Flags – 191,500 banners representing every US state and territory – are on display.
In a sign of changes to come, Mr Biden yesterday chose Rachel Levine to be his assistant secretary of health – the first openly transgender federal official confirmed by the Senate.
Mr Biden and Ms Harris last night honoured coronavirus victims at an event at Washington’s Lincoln Memorial. This morning he was due to attend mass at St Matthew’s cathedral.
The Senate is due to vote on whether to convict Mr Trump following his second impeachment – which could also see them bar him from any future bids for political office.
Senate majority leader and senior Republican Mitch McConnell last night accused Mr Trump of encouraging the invasion of the Capitol.
‘The mob was fed lies,’ he told fellow senators. ‘They were provoked by the president and other powerful people.’
Mr Trump refuses to accept he lost the November 3 election, despite winning 8million fewer votes than Mr Biden and even though courts rejected all his team’s complaints of ballot fraud.
It was only last week that he promised a ‘peaceful’ transfer of power today.