Trump is planning an 'elaborate' send-off for himself before Biden's inauguration. He wants a red carpet, military band, and a 21-gun salute, reports say.
- President Donald Trump is planning a red carpet, military band, and a US Air Force flypast on the morning of Joe Biden's inauguration, according to ABC News.
- He's also asked about the possibility of a 21-gun salute, reported the Associated Press.
- Trump — who will not be attending the ceremony — intends to depart for Mar-a-Lago on Wednesday morning, CNN said.
- Biden's inauguration ceremony will be socially-distanced and star-studded.
President Donald Trump is planning an "elaborate, military-style sendoff" for himself before President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration on January 20, according to ABC News.
Trump hopes to walk down a red carpet while a military band plays, sources familiar with the plans told the broadcaster.
He's even discussed a flypast by US Air Force fighter jets, ABC News said.
It has also been reported that Trump has asked about the possibility of a 21-gun salute, according to the Associated Press.
Read more: Democrats squeamish over security for Biden's inauguration.
The president is planning to leave Washington, DC, before Biden is sworn in to avoid having to request to borrow Air Force One, CNN reported on Friday.
He is expected to depart for Mar-a-Lago on Wednesday morning, according to Bloomberg.
Trump's decision not to attend Biden's inauguration will make him the first departing president to skip the ceremony in over 150 years.
In 2017, Barack Obama attended the inauguration and then departed from the Capitol building's east side in a helicopter. A week before this, he had offered his farewell to the nation by making a low-key public address in his hometown of Chicago.
Trump will go against tradition by skipping the inauguration and creating a split-screen moment on Inauguration Day.
The president hopes to outshine Biden's ceremony by concurrently hosting a televised political rally in Florida, sources told Axios last month.
Biden's inauguration plans will be pared-down and socially-distanced but, nonetheless, star-studded.
His inaugural committee announced that there would be performances by Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, and Justin Timberlake on Thursday.
It will feature a mix of virtual and in-person events and broadcast on social media and cable TV.
Due to security fears following the Captiol siege, law enforcement officers have boosted security for the event and the FBI is tracking the movements of the far-right.