Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is not surprised by former President Donald Trump’s decision not to attend President Joe Biden’s inauguration.
During an interview with CBS News’s Gayle King, she asked him if he believes Trump should have gone to the inauguration.
“Look, what can you say about Donald Trump? He lives in his own world, he’s an egomaniac, he couldn’t care less about democracy or precedent or the American people,” Sanders said.
He added, “So of course he should do what every other president in history has done when they leave office.
Sanders noted former presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama were in attendance.
Watch the video below:
Bernie Sanders says he appreciates that Pence came to the inauguration and was "not surprised" Trump didn't: "Look, what can you say about Donald Trump? He lives in his own world, he's an egomaniac, he couldn't care less about democracy or precedent or the American people." pic.twitter.com/CuQJq7bxQd
— CBS News (@CBSNews) January 20, 2021
“That’s what presidents do to show the American people, regardless of political party, we have a continuity of government… peaceful transition. But, as a matter of fact, Trump does not particularly believe in democracy, apparently does not believe in a peaceful transition,” Sanders said.
He continued, “So I’m not surprised, I appreciate that Pence was there.”
The former vice president attended the inauguration and congratulated Vice President Kamala Harris as she arrived at the U.S. Capitol, as IJR reported.
Trump skipped the inauguration and left for Florida earlier on Wednesday.
The former president slammed Pence for refusing to overturn the election results earlier this month, as IJR previously reported.
“Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify. USA demands the truth!” Trump wrote on Twitter.
Pence later rejected the idea of invoking the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office.
“With just eight days left in the President’s term, you and the Democratic caucus are demanding that the Cabinet and I invoke the 25th Amendment. I do not believe that such a course of action is in the best interest of our nation or consistent with our Constitution,” he wrote in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
