Joe Biden to attend Donald Trump’s inauguration at White House: ‘The president promised…’

US President Joe Biden will attend Donald Trump's inauguration in January, the White House said on Monday, calling it a “commitment to our democratic values”.

Notably, Trump had skipped Biden's own swearing-in in 2021.

The then-president Trump had refused to attend Joe Biden's inauguration in 2021, after falsely claiming his election win was fraudulent and whipping up a mob of supporters who stormed the US Capitol.

“The president promised that he would attend the inauguration of whomever won the election,” news agency AFP quoted Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates as saying.

“He and the first lady are going to honor that promise and attend the inauguration.”

Bates shared that Biden views attending the inauguration as an important demonstration of commitment to democratic values and to honoring the will of the people.

Despite repeatedly describing Trump as a threat to democracy during the 2024 campaign, Democrat Biden has made a point of providing Trump with the smooth transition that the Republican denied him.

A week after the November 5 vote, in which Trump beat Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris to win a historic comeback, Biden invited President-elect Trump to the White House.

Biden, 82, dropped his own bid for a second term in July and endorsed Harris after a disastrous debate performance against Trump triggered fears among Democrats about his age and mental acuity.

Biden's final Thanksgiving at White House

For his final Thanksgiving turkey pardon ceremony at the White House on Monday before Donald Trump returns, Biden had a message for Americans -- “keep calm and gobble on”.

Biden spared birds Peach and Blossom from ending up on the dinner table in a quirky and time-honored tradition marking the upcoming US holiday.

In a series of quips to a large crowd on the presidential mansion's South Lawn, Biden remarked that Peach "lives by the motto 'keep calm and gobble on'" -- while Blossom's philosophy was "no fowl play."

(With AFP inputs)