Biden plans minimalistWhite House trip

Pre siWASHINGTON — dent-elect Joe Biden’s inauguralcommittee released new details Sunday about his trip to the White House after his swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol that further underscore the downsized and largely virtual nature of his Inauguration Day plans.

After taking the oath of office, Biden will conduct a traditional reviewof military troopsmeant to highlight the peaceful transfer of power, the Presidential Inaugural Committee said in a statement. The committee also said Bidenwould receive an official escort, with representatives from every branch of the military, for one city block before arriving at the White House.

The statement left many details unclear, including the nature of the rest of Biden’s trip of about 1.5 miles to the White House from the

Capitol. By long tradition, a huge presidential motorcade rolls slowly down Pennsylvania Avenue past thousands of cheering spectators, with the newly inaugurated president walking some of the route.

But because of the coronavirus pandemic, the inaugural committee this year has urgedAmericans not totravel toWashington for the event. The committee hopes to deter large crowds that could transmit the virus, which is killing more than 2,000 Americans every day.

In place of the grand, in-person extravaganzas of years past, the inaugural committee said it was planning a “virtual parade” across the country, featuring “the iconic images of a new president, a newvice president and their families making their way to the WhiteHouse” along with “musical acts, local bands, poets, dance troupes and more paying homage to America’ s heroes on the front lines of the pandemic.”