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Trump Reportedly Planning Air Force One Exit From White House on Biden’s Inauguration Day

President Donald Trump may not have yet conceded the 2020 election, but he is already planning his […]

President Donald Trump may not have yet conceded the 2020 election, but he is already planning his exit from the White House come Jan. 20. As President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated, Trump will reportedly be headed out of Washington, D.C. in style, as sources claim he is planning an Air Force One exit from White House grounds.

The news comes from Axios, which, citing sources familiar with the discussions, reported Sunday that Trump “is privately discussing” using his presidential powers “to order up the exit he wants.” That made-for-TV exit will allegedly include a White House departure on Marine One and final Air Force One flight to Florida, where he will hold a political rally at the same time Biden is being sworn into office outside the U.S. Capitol. The move would mark a blatant departure from tradition, as exiting presidents typically attend inauguration ceremonies. John Adams, John Quincy Adams and Andrew Johnson, however, all skipped the event while Richard Nixon departed the White House following his resignation and did not attend Gerald Ford’s swearing-in.

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The Daily Beast was the first to report that Trump was potentially planning a rally for Inauguration day, with NBC News, citing three separate sources, later reporting that the president also would not invite Biden to the White House, as is tradition. The outlet reported that as Biden is taking the Presidential Oath of Office, Trump could potentially announce a 2024 run, though he may announce that bid sooner.

Axios says that the possible coinciding events could lead to “a split-screen moment: the outgoing president addressing a roaring crowd in an airport hangar while the incoming leader is sworn in before a socially distanced audience outside the Capitol.” The outlet noted that “the visual also would embody the vast difference in the two leaders’ approaches to the pandemic,” and that Trump’s possible 2024 announcement “would set up four years of Trump playing Biden’s critic-in-chief.”

At this time, the White House has neither confirmed nor denied the reports. In a statement, White House spokesman Judd Deere said “anonymous sources who claim to know what the President is or is not considering have no idea. When President Trump has an announcement about his plans for Jan. 20 he will let you know.”

While Trump has not yet conceded the election, instead opting to charge forward with unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud, a growing number of those in his circle have acknowledged Biden’s win, including former White House counselor Kellyanne Conway. Biden is projected to win the Electoral College with 302 votes when electors cast their votes on Dec. 14, with Trump expected to grab 232 votes. A total of 270 electoral votes are needed to win the election.