US Vice President Mike Pence.
Photographer: Erin Schaff / The New York Times / Bloomberg
Photographer: Erin Schaff / The New York Times / Bloomberg
Vice President Mike Pence will attend the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and elected Vice-President Kamala Harris, breaking with President Donald Trump, who said he would not attend.
Pence plans to be at the January 20 event, according to two people familiar with his plans, who asked not to be identified by discussing internal deliberations. Trump, in the last tweet before his account was suspended by Twitter on Friday, said he “will not go into office”.
On Wednesday, the vice president defied Trump’s call to annul the election and instead fulfilled his ceremonial duty to chair Congress’s acceptance of the results of the Electoral College.
During the proceedings, an angry mob of Trump supporters descended on the Capitol and overtook security, breaking into the building and causing lawmakers and others to evacuate. Five people died in the confusion, including a police officer.
On Friday, Biden, speaking to reporters, said he agreed that Trump should not attend the inauguration, but that Pence would be “welcome” and that he would be honored if the vice president attended.
“I would be honored to have you there,” said Biden.