As militarized US Capitol is being called a ‘war zone’, Donald Trump left on Wednesday the White House becoming the first president since Nixon to miss inauguration of Joe Biden to be sworn in amid turmoil in the US.
The ceremony had something of a Trump rally feel to it – including starting 35 minutes late to ratchet up the tension. It began with a military band playing “Hail to the chief” and the 21 gun salute that Trump had wanted. Trump’s family were at the military airfield for the outgoing president’s arrival.
Trump invited the outgoing first lady Melania Trump to say a few words, and then listed a series of achievements he claimed for his administration, including creating the US Space Force, tax cuts, and his repeated (and repeatedly debunked claim) that he built the greatest economy the US has ever seen in his departure speech.
“Everything is complex, be careful,” he said, and then took advance credit for “incredible numbers” that are going to be coming under the Biden administration.
He described the development of a coronavirus vaccine in nine months as “a medical miracle”, although in truth the US is not the only country to have aided the development of vaccines in such short order.
Trump said his administration had ‘left it all on the field’, and will not be saying to themselves they could have worked harder. He began to conclude his address by saying “You are amazing people and this is a great, great country. It is an honor and privilege to have been your president,” while the crowd chanted “Thank you Trump.”
He promised that he would be watching and listening, that the future of the country was great, and he wished the incoming administration success and luck, and said he thought they would be successful. He said they had the foundations to do something really spectacular, and that his administration had “put it in a position where it’s never been, before despite being hit with the worst plague since 1917.” /compiled from wires- argumentum.al
