Trump Reportedly Mulling Skipping Biden Inauguration

Trump, who has yet to concede victory in the 3 November presidential contest to his Democratic opponent Joe Biden, is claimed to be planning a grand finale to his tenure, with an Air Force One flight to whisk him off to Florida for an opposing rally deliberately timed to coincide with Biden's potential inauguration.

"The Trump talk could create a split-screen moment: the outgoing president addressing a roaring crowd in an airport hangar while the incoming leader is sworn in before a socially distanced audience outside the Capitol," writes the outlet.

In late November Trump acknowledged he would leave office if the Electoral College voted for projected President-elect Joe Biden, while reaffirming his earlier allegations of “massive fraud” in the vote count and vowing to continue his legal battle to overturn election results.

Asked if he would consider running again on the Republican ticket in 2024, Trump has said: “I don’t want to talk to 2024 yet.”

When asked about the legal challenges launched in multiple states, Trump had said: “A lot of things [are] happening between now and Jan. 20. It’s going to be a very hard thing to concede.”

The Trump legal team was dealt a blow this week after Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Nevada all certified their election results.

Earlier it was reported that Trump was considering skipping the swearing-in of his purported successor and possibly announcing a campaign to reclaim the White House in 2024 on Inauguration Day.

“Preliminary planning” was said to be underway for an event on 20 January that would launch Trump’s new presidential bid, according to sources cited by NBC News. It was, however, added that the President could make the announcement earlier, while not ruling out a rally potentially to be scheduled for Inauguration Day.

In any case, sources insisted that Donald Trump would not be putting in an appearance at the inauguration of projected President-elect Joe Biden, just as there were no plans to invite the Democrat to the White House or call him.

The breach of norms for an incumbent president to dodge the swearing-in of his successor is not unprecedented, as John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Johnson, and Richard Nixon were all markedly absent at the swearing-in of successors.

As for the possibility of the sitting President officially kicking off his 2024 campaign on Inauguration Day, sources claim that it is when the POTUS filed for re-election in 2017.

According to people familiar with the matter, Trump recently told his advisers he intended to announce a 2024 campaign shortly after the Electoral College meets on 14 December to cast their ballot.

Regarding potential future campaign headquarters, the Trump team has reportedly been considering whether to extend the lease on the 2020 venue in Virginia or move elsewhere, stated the outlet.

There has not been any official response to the report from the Trump campaign.