BREAKING: Trump will not attend Biden’s inauguration

It is unusual for an outgoing president to not attend the inauguration of his successor.

The announcement comes in the wake of the storming of Capitol Hill by pro-Trump rioters on Wednesday as the President finishes the final two weeks of his presidency. The rioters were able to temporarily put a stop to the certification of the Electoral College vote to install Joe Biden as president in a joint Congressional session.

Lawmakers were forced to flee the legislative chambers in the Capitol Building during the riot, temporarily pausing the certification process, but returned that evening to officially certify the election for Biden.

While Trump did not offer a reason for why he would not be attending the inauguration, he has repeatedly suggested that Biden's victory in the 2020 election was illegitimate, with voter and electoral fraud swinging the election in his favor. While some cases of voter fraud have been uncovered since the election, there is no evidence that it took place on a scale required to swing the election.

Trump issued a statement following the riot stating that Biden will be the next President, and that he would work to secure a peaceful transition of power. He continues to maintain the belief that the election was stolen.

The inauguration of Joe Biden will take place on Wednesday, Jan 20. The event is expected to be smaller than previous inaugurations due to concerns over the spread of coronavirus.