No Traditional Farewell Ceremony for Donald Trump, Pentagon Confirms

President Donald Trump will not receive a traditional farewell ceremony from the Pentagon, according to two officials who confirmed the news to Defense One.

Kevin Baron, Defense One’s founding executive editor, broke the story in the form of a commentary, saying that “it’s a shame, but not a surprise” and claiming that Trump “has used the military as a political prop since his first days in office.”

Although not a longstanding tradition per se, the Pentagon has held a farewell tribute for presidents leaving office going back four decades. The last time it hadn’t happened was when Jimmy Carter exited the White House and Ronald Reagan became president in 1981.

Despite not receiving a tribute from the Pentagon, Trump will ostensibly hold his own departure ceremony at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland and then fly to Florida on Air Force One early Wednesday morning. According to an anonymous individual who spoke with ABC News, “officials are considering an elaborate send-off event reminiscent of the receptions he’s received during state visits abroad, complete with a red carpet, color guard, military band and even a 21-gun salute.

Last Friday Trump announced on Twitter that he would not be attending the inauguration of Joe Biden.

Vice President Mike Pence will deliver remarks Saturday to military personnel at Naval Air Station Lemoore in California, and then again on Sunday before 10th Mountain Division soldiers at Fort Drum, New York. He is expected to laud President Trump’s foreign policy achievements.

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