We saw many recognizable faces Wednesday at the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, but there were many people -- some quite notable -- who were not in attendance.
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1. President Donald Trump: He announced on Twitter ahead of the inauguration that he would not be attending, and he stuck to his word.
He’s the first outgoing president who chose not to attend the ceremony since President Andrew Johnson’s refusal in 1869.
2. President Jimmy Carter: We typically see most of the former living presidents in attendance, but Carter, at 96, did not attend.
3. Sen. Thom Tillis: Citing a recent surgery, the senator notified the Biden administration he would not be in attendance.
I informed the incoming Biden administration that I regrettably won’t be able to attend President-elect Biden’s inauguration because of my recovery from a recent foot surgery. https://t.co/jOGImcXxsk
— Senator Thom Tillis (@SenThomTillis) January 18, 2021
4. Rep. Ron Wright: Wright is quarantining at home after being exposed to COVID-19 recently. He made the announcement on his website:
“Last week, not long after returning to Texas following the impeachment vote in the House, I learned that several members of my staff and I had come into contact with an individual who tested positive for COVID-19. I am currently in quarantine, awaiting my COVID-19 test results, and I will continue to follow CDC guidance and the advice of my doctors and medical professionals. With that being said, I will not attend the inauguration tomorrow, but will be watching from my home in Arlington, TX. God Bless the United States of America.”
5. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene: The controversial congresswoman told Newsweek she would not be attending the inauguration “due to security concerns.”
6. Sen. Marco Rubio: Rubio conveyed he would be hard at work instead.
I am in DC but will not be attending todays inauguration because I am working on addressing the remaining objections to an expedited Senate confirmation of President-Elect Biden’s nominee for Director of National Intelligence.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) January 20, 2021
It’s important we do this as soon as possible.
7. Rep. Andy Harris, and 8. Rep. Bob Good: Newsweek reported neither would be at the inauguration, but did not give details as to why.
9. The greater public: Due to COVID-19 concerns, this year’s inauguration was scaled down in major ways, one of which was the lack of a public crowd. Instead, to represent the American people, 200,000 American flags were placed across the National Mall, which was closed.