LIVE: Trump prepares to depart White House for final time ahead of Biden's inauguration as thousands of troops protect the nation's capital from right-wing extremists
- President Trump will leave office and President-elect Biden will be inaugurated on Wednesday.
- The end of Trump's presidency comes as Washington, DC is on lockdown after a violent insurrection.
- Follow Insider's live coverage of key moments and highlights of the historic day.
President Donald Trump will officially leave office on Wednesday while his successor, President-elect Joe Biden, will be sworn in at 12 p.m. ET.
The event will mark a historic end to Trump's rocky presidency and a tumultuous transition period in which the outgoing president refused to acknowledge his election loss and incited a violent insurrection at the US Capitol that resulted in five deaths.
Biden's inauguration comes as the nation's capital is heavily fortified amid continued threats from Trump supporters to disrupt the transfer of power. Around 25,000 troops have been deployed to Washington, DC, ahead of the inauguration, which is more than the number of US service members in Iraq and Afghanistan combined.
The FBI warned law enforcement authorities that some violent extremists, including followers of the far-right QAnon conspiracy theory, may try to pose as guardsmen to get through security at the inauguration, USA Today reported, citing two people familiar with the briefing.
On Tuesday, a dozen National Guard members were removed from protecting the inauguration after authorities discovered questionable behavior. Two out of the 12 had possible ties to extremist groups, The New York Times reported.
Biden's inauguration proceedings will begin with remarks from Father Leo J. O'Donovan, the former president of Georgetown University and a longtime friend of the Biden family. The ceremony will feature performances from prominent celebrities, including Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez, and will wrap up with a benediction from Rev. Dr. Silvester Beaman.
In a stark contrast with previous presidential inaugurations, Trump and first lady Melania Trump will skip Wednesday's inauguration. But outgoing Vice President Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence will be in attendance along with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. McConnell and McCarthy will miss Trump's departure ceremony and instead attend mass with Biden before the inauguration, while Pence will be absent due to logistical issues.
Former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton will also be at the inauguration, as will former first ladies Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, and Hillary Clinton.
Ahead of Wednesday's ceremonies, Biden made an emotional speech bidding farewell to his home state of Delaware and paying tribute to his late son, Beau, who died of brain cancer in 2015.
"Excuse the emotion, but when I die, Delaware will be written on my heart," Biden said, in reference to the Irish poet James Joyce's famous quote in which he said Dublin was written on his heart.
Biden then mentioned Beau, saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, I only have one regret, that he isn't here, because we should be introducing him as president."
Trump, meanwhile, taped a 20-minute farewell speech that was posted to the White House's YouTube channel because the president has been banned on every major social media platform.
Though he acknowledged that Biden will take office on Wednesday, he did not mention his successor by name and did not concede that he lost the November general election.
"This week, we inaugurate a new administration and pray for its success in keeping America safe and prosperous. We extend our best wishes, and we also want them to have luck - a very important word," Trump said.