The number of guests at the inauguration of the 46th US President Joseph Biden has been sharply reduced due to the pandemic. This was announced on Wednesday, December 16, by the joint committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the US Congress on inauguration ceremonies.
The committee said in a written statement that due to sanitary and epidemiological considerations, the committee was forced to limit the number of guests of honor at the celebration on Capitol Hill on January 20, 2021. It is noted that in a normal situation, the committee would distribute about 200 thousand tickets, but invitations to the 59th inaugural ceremony will be limited – “only for the members of Congress and one guest (for each).”
Thus, approximately 1,070 tickets will be issued for the inauguration – both houses of Congress have 535 voting members. The committee clarified that the ticket cannot be transferred to other persons.
Earlier, it also issued a warning to reduce the number of journalists accredited to cover Biden’s inauguration.
Biden’s inauguration due to the pandemic may be the smallest in nearly 250 years of US history. Traditionally, hundreds of thousands and sometimes millions of people gather for the inauguration of the president in Washington.
General elections were held in the United States on November 3. According to official figures, Biden was ahead of the current American leader Donald Trump in the number of votes.
On December 6, American media reported that US President Donald Trump may leave the residence of the head of state on the day of Joe Biden’s inauguration. He will first fly out of the White House by helicopter, then transfer to Air Force One, which will go to a rally of his supporters in Florida.
During his speech, he is expected to announce his plans to re-run for the presidency of the United States in 2024.
On December 14, the electoral vote took place. Biden received 306 votes against 232 from Trump, which effectively ensures his victory in the election.
On December 15, Biden announced that the electoral college vote was a “clear victory.” The Trump administration has pledged that the president will continue to challenge the election results.