As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to be sworn in for a second term, Democrats in Congress remain divided over whether to attend the Jan. 20 inauguration. Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris has sparked varying reactions among lawmakers, with some feeling a duty to attend, others remaining undecided, and still others refusing outright.
Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., affirmed his attendance, stating, “I’ll be in attendance. And I think Georgians expect me to be.” Similarly, Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., called attending “a responsibility.” However, other Democrats are less committed. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., remarked, “That’s a good question. I haven’t thought about it.” Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., added, “I’m not quite sure what I would be celebrating with his inauguration.”
Some Democrats have used Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which coincides with the inauguration, as a reason not to attend. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, criticized the event, saying, “To go and to celebrate the transition of power to someone who wants to decimate everything that Martin Luther King stood for on Martin Luther King Day as a civil rights lawyer seems a little absent-minded to me, so I personally am not interested.” Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., echoed this sentiment: “I’ll be in town with my constituents honoring Dr. King’s legacy. I don’t think being there does that.”
Outgoing President Joe Biden is expected to attend, but no announcements have been made regarding former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, or Bill Clinton. Former President Jimmy Carter, at 100 years old, remains in hospice care.
Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., pushed back against boycotts, emphasizing, “He’s the president, got elected the majority of electoral votes, being inaugurated. I’m a member of Congress. I’m going to the inauguration.”
This split reflects ongoing tensions within the Democratic Party regarding Trump’s presidency and the principles behind attending the peaceful transition of power.
