# Will Biden Exclude Trump from the Presidential Inauguration? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 7, 2021, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-biden-exclude-trump-from-the-presidential-inauguration/929927 "2021-01-07T16:06:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wrenching\_Spanners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecb155/32.png) [@Wrenching\_Spanners](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrenching_Spanners)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2021, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-biden-exclude-trump-from-the-presidential-inauguration/929927/1 "2021-01-07T16:06:26Z")
Yes, I know some people believe that Trump will be impeached or Article 25’d. I also know that many others believe Trump will refuse to attend. But I’m curious if Biden will decide that Trump should have no part is his presidential inauguration. Thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2021, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-biden-exclude-trump-from-the-presidential-inauguration/929927/2 "2021-01-07T16:10:31Z")
Among the perfect storm of COVID and political unrest, the inauguration should be limited to Justice Roberts, the Biden and Harris families, and a battalion of Secret Service agents. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2021, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-biden-exclude-trump-from-the-presidential-inauguration/929927/3 "2021-01-07T16:12:27Z")
Good point, are they really going to have a full blown, public inauguration? Don’t you guys have any rules around mass gatherings? ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2021, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-biden-exclude-trump-from-the-presidential-inauguration/929927/4 "2021-01-07T16:57:05Z")
Pretty sure Biden doesn’t have the authority to do anything of the kind. I suspect that there will not be a big ceremony though. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2021, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-biden-exclude-trump-from-the-presidential-inauguration/929927/5 "2021-01-07T17:00:14Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Good point, are they really going to have a full blown, public inauguration? No, it’s limited. I think Trump would be included if he agreed to come. I’m starting to think Mike Pence will be there. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2021, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-biden-exclude-trump-from-the-presidential-inauguration/929927/6 "2021-01-07T17:07:54Z")
I see no reason why Trump would be specifically excluded (with the caveat that health reasons for minimizing attendance obviously apply here). I agree that it’s unlikely he would, and that Mike Pence would likely attend instead as the “respectable” face of the outgoing administration. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2021, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-biden-exclude-trump-from-the-presidential-inauguration/929927/7 "2021-01-07T17:10:43Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Mike Pence would likely attend instead as the “respectable” face of the outgoing administration. I did not think either would go, but I think Trump is disqualified from 2024 now and Pence might show up so he can run in 24. ---
**Author:** ![Wrenching\_Spanners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecb155/32.png) [@Wrenching\_Spanners](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrenching_Spanners)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2021, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-biden-exclude-trump-from-the-presidential-inauguration/929927/8 "2021-01-07T17:15:33Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > Pretty sure Biden doesn’t have the authority to do anything of the kind. I suspect that there will not be a big ceremony though. Who does have the authority then? Going from memory, there’s an inauguration committee made up of representatives from several groups including D.C. government, the federal administration, White House permanent staff, law enforcement, the Secret Service, and the president-elect’s transition team. However, it’s the president-elect’s representative’s on that team that have decision-making authority unless the decision conflicts with mandated responsibilities such as security or public safety. If Biden’s representative says Trump won’t attend, who’s going to override him? ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2021, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-biden-exclude-trump-from-the-presidential-inauguration/929927/9 "2021-01-07T17:18:53Z")
I cannot imagine Trump would come, but if he does, Biden won’t stop him. After his performance yesterday, I fully expect Pence to come. He has clearly defected from Trumpism. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2021, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-biden-exclude-trump-from-the-presidential-inauguration/929927/10 "2021-01-07T17:36:56Z")
Honestly not sure, but depending on which element of the inauguration we’re talking about here the jurisdiction will change. The big ceremony on the front steps of the Capitol are managed by the JCCIC which is a Congressional body. It takes place on the Capitol grounds which probably puts it in the purview of the Capitol Police and the Sergeant’s-at-Arms of the Senate and House. It could be viewed as a public space where the President doesn’t actually have any authority to enforce anything and it would fall to the Mayor of DC. Biden’s powers don’t actually kick in until he takes the oath, so even he had jurisdiction he couldn’t give any orders until well after Trump stunk up the place. Practically speaking, Biden could make his wishes known and it would probably happen, but if Trump dug his heels in and insisted on showing up you’d likely end up with a bunch of people staring at each other with no idea who to listen to. It may come down to the simple question of who has the power to kick a trespasser off the Capitol steps and does that authority extend to the still sitting President. My guess, is probably not based on previous precedents. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2021, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-biden-exclude-trump-from-the-presidential-inauguration/929927/11 "2021-01-07T17:39:41Z")
I thought he was toying with a virtual ceremony to avoid drawing a crowd and spreading Covid. I’m sure I read it somewhere, days ago now, but can’t remember where. ---
**Author:** ![Wrenching\_Spanners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecb155/32.png) [@Wrenching\_Spanners](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrenching_Spanners)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2021, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-biden-exclude-trump-from-the-presidential-inauguration/929927/12 "2021-01-07T17:51:24Z")
Thanks Omniscient, that’s good information. I wasn’t aware that the JCCIC and the Presidential Inauguration Committee were separate bodies. For anyone who’s interested: [https://www.inaugural.senate.gov/partners/](https://www.inaugural.senate.gov/partners/) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2021, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-biden-exclude-trump-from-the-presidential-inauguration/929927/13 "2021-01-07T17:53:23Z")
It’s too bad they can’t strap Trump into a chair, tape his eyes open and mouth shut, and force him to watch. ---
**Author:** ![Wrenching\_Spanners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecb155/32.png) [@Wrenching\_Spanners](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrenching_Spanners)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2021, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-biden-exclude-trump-from-the-presidential-inauguration/929927/14 "2021-01-07T18:01:37Z")
So a repeat of what happened to Hillary Clinton. > **[Hillary Clinton Reveals She Tried to Skip Trump’s Inauguration](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/politics-news/hillary-clinton-reveals-she-tried-skip-trumps-inauguration-1050727/)** > > During an appearance on ‘The Graham Norton Show,’ Hillary Clinton detailed her dilemma, and disappointment, with attending Trump’s inauguration. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2021, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-biden-exclude-trump-from-the-presidential-inauguration/929927/15 "2021-01-07T19:04:50Z")
> [@Wrenching\_Spanners](#): > > So a repeat of what happened to Hillary Clinton. Can you share what this is in response to? I don’t understand the relevance to the OP or any subsequent post. ---
**Author:** ![Wrenching\_Spanners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecb155/32.png) [@Wrenching\_Spanners](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrenching_Spanners)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2021, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-biden-exclude-trump-from-the-presidential-inauguration/929927/16 "2021-01-07T19:11:43Z")
> [@DMC](#): > > Can you share what this is in response to? I don’t understand the relevance to the OP or any subsequent post. Running Coach made a smart-ass reply about Trump being forced to attend the inauguration of his election opponent. I continued the smart-assery by pointing out that circumstance occurred four years ago. ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2021, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-biden-exclude-trump-from-the-presidential-inauguration/929927/17 "2021-01-07T19:12:05Z")
Ideally, Trump would be watching from a prison cell while awaiting trial for inciting sedition. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2021, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-biden-exclude-trump-from-the-presidential-inauguration/929927/18 "2021-01-07T19:17:18Z")
Ah, I see the context now. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2021, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-biden-exclude-trump-from-the-presidential-inauguration/929927/19 "2021-01-07T19:18:01Z")
Hillary’s situation was much more of a high school peer pressure thing (“Are the Bushes going? If they don’t go we don’t have to go”) than the Clockwork Orange situation running\_coach proposed. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2021, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-biden-exclude-trump-from-the-presidential-inauguration/929927/20 "2021-01-07T19:19:33Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Good point, are they really going to have a full blown, public inauguration? Don’t you guys have any rules around mass gatherings? The JCCIC has announced that only 1,000 tickets to the inauguration will be made available to the public. Normally 200,000 tickets are issued for people to witness the inauguration. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-biden-exclude-trump-from-the-presidential-inauguration/929927.md?page=2)