President-elect Joe Biden said Friday that his inauguration in January will likely be scaled back due to the coronavirus pandemic, potentially resembling the virtual Democratic National Convention from earlier this year.
“It is highly unlikely there’ll be a million people on the Mall going all the way down to the Memorial,” Biden said at a news conference in Wilmington, Del.
“I think you’re going to see something that’s closer to what the convention was like than the typical inauguration,” he said.
Biden is set to be sworn in as the next president on Jan. 20, just weeks after the holiday season. Public health officials have warned that holiday gatherings will likely lead to a sharp increase in coronavirus cases unless people wear masks, socially distance and stay home. Biden himself has warned of what will be a dark winter ahead in the pandemic.
The president-elect said that in addition to following public health guidelines in preparing for the inauguration, his team has been in discussion with House and Senate leadership about their plans for the event.
“First and foremost in my objective is to keep America safe but still allow people to celebrate,” Biden said. “To celebrate and see one another celebrating.”
Biden predicted that there won’t be a large inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue but added that he is not in a position to give a clear picture of what the event will look like.
“But my guess is you’ll see a lot of virtual activity in states all across America, engaging even more people than before,” he said.