President-elect Joe Biden’s staff said Thursday (Jan. 14) that some of the schedule ahead of his inauguration has been changed due to security concerns. U.S. media outlet Politico reported that the inauguration rehearsal, originally scheduled for Sunday, was rescheduled for next Monday (Jan. 18).
The report said that Biden and his team members planned to travel from Wilmington to Washington on Amtrak next Monday was also canceled.
Biden’s team also brought in Lisa Monaco, who served as homeland security adviser in the Obama administration, to provide security advice for the inauguration and related events.
“Ms. Monaco will assist the president-elect and work with the incoming national security adviser, the incoming homeland security adviser, and current security and law enforcement officials, including working with the U.S. Secret Service to develop their inauguration plans.” A spokesman for the Biden transition team told Politico in a statement.
“Given the existing threats, Ms. Monaco’s interim role will focus solely on the period leading up to the inauguration.”
The Biden team declined to comment on the schedule change, the report said.
Authorities have been concerned about a possible attempt to repeat the violence created at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Security in the area around the Capitol has been significantly stepped up after this incident, including the deployment of up to 20,000 National Guard personnel for the Jan. 20 inauguration.
About 2,000 members of the Guard were present at the Capitol beginning Wednesday (Jan. 13).
Fox previously reported that about 10,000 Guardsmen are expected to be in the nation’s capital by this Saturday.
Biden was briefed Wednesday by the FBI, Secret Service and other federal security officials on security for the inauguration, Politico reported.
President Trump issued a statement Jan. 13 urging the American public to refrain from violence. He said, “In light of reports that there will be more demonstrations, I urge that there must be no violence, no lawlessness, and no disruption of any kind.” Trump said, “This is not something I support, and it is not something America supports. I call on all Americans to help ease tensions and calm anger.
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