Aides of President Donald Trump have begun clearing their desks at the White House ahead of Wednesday’s inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden.
Already, 20,000 National Guard troops have descended upon Washington to protect the capital from pro-Trump protests expected in the coming days.
Some Trump’s aides were seen removing a bust of President Abraham Lincoln from the West Wing.
Assistant to the president Peter Navarro was also seen carrying a framed photograph out of the White House on Wednesday, despite his insistence that Trump had won the election.
“The Democratic Party did violence to this country by attacking a president who I believe was legally elected on November 3,” Navarro said in an interview with Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo.
While Trump himself has yet to acknowledge that Biden won the election, on Wednesday he called on his supporters to refrain from violence.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice have issued alerts about armed protests by Trump supporters leading up to Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20.
The Pentagon will not host a farewell tribute to Trump, as is customary for an outgoing commander in chief, Defense One reported Thursday.