In a rare moment of bipartisan decorum, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden have confirmed they will attend the inauguration of Donald Trump in January, marking a pivotal moment in American political traditions. White House spokesperson Andrew Bates explained that the president had made a public commitment to honor the peaceful transfer of power, regardless of the outcome of the election. “The president promised that he would attend the inauguration of whoever won, and he is going to keep that promise,” Bates stated.
This move stands in stark contrast to the actions of Donald Trump in 2021. Despite Biden’s victory in the 2020 election, Trump famously chose not to attend the inauguration, a break from longstanding presidential tradition. Instead, Trump became the first president in over 150 years to skip the ceremony, opting instead to depart the White House before Biden’s swearing-in.
Biden’s promise to uphold the peaceful transition of power was reaffirmed recently when he welcomed Trump back to the White House in an effort to honor this important democratic ritual. The meeting came after Trump’s absence from the inauguration in 2021, with Biden vowing to make the handoff of leadership as smooth as possible, even in the face of a deeply polarized political climate.
While Trump’s refusal to attend Biden’s inauguration was historically unusual, the Biden administration’s decision to attend Trump’s upcoming ceremony shows a commitment to upholding the norms of American democracy, even amid fierce political differences. It’s a gesture of respect for the office of the presidency, regardless of who holds it, and reinforces the principle that elections—while contested—must be respected, with both sides continuing to work toward the well-being of the nation.