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By Ewan Palmer
News Reporter
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More than a dozen House Democrats have announced they will not attend President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20.
Every Democrat set to serve in the 119th Congress was asked by Axios whether they would attend the ceremony in Washington D.C. where Trump will be officially sworn in as president for the second time. Some later confirmed they will not be attending to Newsweek.
Not all Democrats skipping the event are doing so in protest at Trump. Some have opted to participate in Martin Luther King Jr. Day events on January 20 instead. Other lawmakers cited the violence at the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot as their reason for not attending the upcoming inauguration. Dozens of Democrats had boycotted Trump's first inauguration in 2017.
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Of those who responded, 13 representatives said they would not attend 2025's inauguration, 20 were undecided and 44 confirmed they would attend, as of Saturday. Among Democratic senators, none said they would skip the inauguration, 10 were undecided, and 11 confirmed their attendance. One additional House Democrat, Representative Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, also confirmed to USA Today that they will not be attending the ceremony.
Newsweek reached out to Trump's transition team and the Democratic lawmakers who said they would not attend the inauguration for comment via email.
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List of Democrats Skipping Trump's Inauguration
Rep. Judy Chu, California
"No, I'm not attending the upcoming inauguration. I will be in my district with my constituents for important events marking Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the second anniversary of a mass shooting in my hometown of Monterey Park," Chu told Newsweek.
Rep. Delia Ramirez, Illinois
A spokesperson for Ramirez's office told Newsweek the congresswoman is on record confirming she will not addend the inauguration.
"I am a brown woman, daughter of immigrants, and I would feel unsafe. And a better way to celebrate MLK—who is the exact opposite of what we're about to get as president – is to be with my community, with my people. Especially as this man, on day one, announces all the horrible things he will do to try to harm the communities I love," Ramirez told Axios.
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, New Jersey
Her spokesperson told Axios that she will be attending Martin Luther King Jr. Day events on January 20 instead.
Rep. Adam Smith, Washington
"He almost never attends inaugurations. He's been to two out of eight during his time in office," a spokesperson told Axios.
Rep. Deborah Ross, North Carolina
Axios did not provide a reason for why the congresswoman will not be attending the inauguration.
Rep. Donald Beyer, Virginia
A spokesperson responded to Axios' inquiry with a simple "No."
Rep. Steve Cohen, Tennessee
"[Trump] has said he is going to pardon some of the January 6 prisoners at his inauguration, and as one who was in the gallery and then locked in my office in the early morning as the insurrectionists tried to overthrow our government and beat police, some to the point of death, I cannot be a part of that spectacle," Cohen told Axios.
Rep. Kweisi Mfume, Maryland
"After having spent 15 years back in the '80s and '70s trying to get [MLK Day] to become a national holiday, I, every year, engage in service out of my respect to Dr. King. I work at Our Daily Bread in Baltimore, we feed people there, and I meet with vets every year and I participate in the MLK Day parade. So I won't be going," Mfume told Axios.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Texas
"I don't think that this is a time for celebration. I think that if we had a traditional Republican where there were disagreements, then, yeah, I would most likely be there, I would feel more obligated to be there, especially as a sitting member of Congress. But considering this is also Martin Luther King Day, it just seems like the worst way to spend the day knowing that I would be celebrating someone who really is going to work very hard to tear down the legacy in which literally he lived and died for," Crockett told Axios.
Rep. Sean Casten, Illinois
"Rep. Casten is not planning to attend President-elect Trump's inauguration," a spokesperson told Axios.
Rep. Ilhan Omar, Minnesota
"Oh no, I will not be there... I'll be home," Omar told Axios.
Rep.-elect Lateefah Simon, California
"I'll be in my district celebrating King Day. I do plan to gift my tickets to my freshman Republican colleagues," Simon told Axios.
Rep. Veronica Escobar, Texas
"I was trapped in the gallery on January 6. That's why," Escobar told Axios.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Massachusetts
"I'll be in town with my constituents honoring Dr. King's legacy," Pressley told USA Today. "I don't think being there does that."
Mississippi Representative Bennie Thompson, who chaired the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 attack, said he is "not sure" if he will attend Trump's inauguration.
"For somebody who he said he's going to lock me up, I don't see the excitement in going to see his inauguration," Thompson told Axios.
Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin also said he has not yet decided whether to attend. "I'm not quite sure what I would be celebrating with his inauguration," Raskin told USA Today.
Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff confirmed to USA Today that he will attend Trump's inauguration. "I think Georgians expect me to be there," he said.
"Apparently a large group of Democrat legislators plan to boycott my father's inauguration, which is great as it will make room for a lot more actual patriots to attend," Donald Trump Jr, the president-elect's eldest son, posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday.
"They have my complete and total endorsement to stay at home."
Outgoing presidents usually attend their successor's inauguration, although Trump did not attend Joe Biden's swearing-in ceremony in 2021.
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden are planning to attend Trump's inauguration, a White House spokesperson told Reuters in November.
Update 12/16/2024 12:15 p.m. ET:This article has been updated with comment from Representatives Judy Chu and Delia Ramirez.
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