Pence attends Biden inauguration after skipping Trump’s farewell event

Relations between the outgoing president and vice president were reportedly frayed in the final days of the Trump administration following the insurrection at the Capitol

Outgoing Vice President Mike Pence attended Joe Biden’s inauguration after skipping Donald Trump’s sendoff at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. 

As President Trump left the White House for the last time his vice president did not meet with him, according to reports. 

Mr Pence posted a farewell message on Twitter with a number of pictures none of which included the president.

Mr Pence attended the inauguration of Joe Biden on Wednesday by which time Mr Trump had touched down in Florida. 

Republican leaders were invited to Mr Trump’s farewell event at Joint Base Andrews before he flew to Florida, his last flight on Air Force One.  

But none of the major players chose to attend. Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell said the mob that attacked the Capitol were “fed lies” and that “they were provoked by the president and other powerful people". 

Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said: “The president bears responsibility for Wednesday's attack on Congress by mob rioters.”

Mr Pence has taken on a more senior role as Mr Trump has stepped back from official duties of his office since his election loss in November. 

After a long post-election fight with Mr Trump baselessly claiming that the election was fraudulent, Mr Pence took on the role of carrying out the transfer of power. 

He called to congratulate his successor Kamala Harris and agreed to attend Mr Biden’s inauguration after Mr Trump became the first president in 152 years to not attend the inauguration of his successor, according to The New York Times.

This comes after multiple claims that the two men fell out after the riot at the Capitol. Rioters came within a minute of seeing the vice president rushing through a corridor with his Secret Service detail. 

Mr Trump was said to be furious with Mr Pence for refusing to help him overturn his election loss to Joe Biden, something which the vice president didn’t have the constitutional ability to do. 

Fueled by the president’s frustration, his supporters stormed the US Capitol, forcing Mr Pence and other lawmakers to seek shelter. The president reportedly didn’t call to check in on Mr Pence during the riot, even as rioters made it clear that they were looking for Mr Pence, possibly to cause him serious harm. 

The day before the end of his term, Mr Pence tweeted: “Thank you for the privilege of serving as your Vice President these past four years, it has been the greatest honor of my life. On behalf of our Wonderful Second Lady, Karen Pence, and our entire Family, Thank You and God Bless America.”

In the weeks and months after the election, Mr Trump has faded from the job of being president as Mr Pence has stepped into that role, performing many of the tasks usually reserved for the president. 

On Thursday last week, Mr Pence visited the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be briefed on the security surrounding the inauguration of Joe Biden. On Sunday, he flew to New York to spend some time with troops and express his gratitude. He made a stop at the Capitol to thank the National Guard troops protecting the inauguration proceedings. On the day before the inauguration, Mr Pence chaired his final meeting of the White House Coronavirus taskforce. 

Presidential historian Lindsay Chervinsky told The Washington Post that “The fact that we’re seeing this, and it’s because Trump has no interest in participating in the traditional activities of the presidency, is just another way in which Trump is showing his utter dereliction of duty".

According to The Washington Post, despite the reported acrimony between the two men, Mr Pence and Mr Trump met in person on Thursday and spoke on the phone on Friday. 

Mr Pence is often mentioned among the numerous candidates who are thought to want to seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. Republican pollster Frank Luntz found that while most Republicans still prefer Mr Trump, if he is not an option, most prefer Mr Pence. 

In a poll of 800 Trump voters days after the attack on the Capitol, 34 per cent said they preferred the Vice President. 14 per cent said they liked Texas Senator Ted Cruz best, The Washington Post reported.

Donald Trump Jr and former UN ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley both got 7 per cent in the poll.