Fact Check: Did Kamala Harris announce that she will not be attending Trump's inauguration? Viral rumor debunked
On Wednesday, November 6, 2024, as Donald Trump was projected to win, a rumor about Kamala Harris began doing the rounds online. A tweet was shared on X by a user (@DestUTD), where they claimed:
"Kamala Harris has announced she won’t be showing up for the presidential induction ceremony."
The tweet garnered more than 3.5 million views and over 600 likes.
Netizens soon began reacting to the rumor, eventually mocking Harris. Users even began comparing her with Real Madrid, particularly Vinicius Jr., after they chose not to attend the Ballon d'Or awards. A user (@De_yemopraiz06) tweeted:
"She wan do like Vinicius."
"She thinks she’s Real Madrid," wrote another user.
While the rumor went viral, Snopes confirmed that it was false. According to the site, the time when the claim was originally made was 3 am local time on November 6, and Kamala Harris hadn't issued any official statement by then.
No other statement or response was also shared in response to Trump's possible win. Harris' first official statement came later that day when she delivered a concession speech at Howard University in Washington, D.C. In the speech, she shed light on how she reacted after learning of her loss in the presidential race. Harris said:
"We must accept the results of this election. Earlier today I spoke with President-elect Trump and congratulated him on his victory. I also told him that we will help him and his team with their transition and that we will engage in a peaceful transfer of power."
Kamala Harris' social media platforms had no statements indicating the claims made in the rumor
As mentioned before, the rumors and speculations made were absolutely untrue. No social media handle belonging to Kamala Harris indicated that she announced her absence during the presidential induction ceremony in January 2025.
There were further no official reports from credible news agencies about such a speculation. Snopes further reported that if Harris made such a statement, it would be a significant piece of information that would be covered by publications. Thus, it is safe to conclude that the claims are fake.
However, it isn't unusual for the losing parties to not attend the induction ceremonies. As per Snopes, the White House Historical Association confirmed that several US presidents had done the same in the past.
This would include Donald Trump himself and others like Adams in 1801, John Quincy Adams in 1829, Martin Van Buren in 1841, and Andrew Johnson in 1869.
Trump's win has sparked a wide range of responses from individuals who celebrated to people who didn't seem too impressed with the results. A lot of celebrities like Cardi B, Quentin Tarantino, and Christina Applegate expressed frustration.
A lot of netizens too were divided with their different perspectives on the election results. Republican candidate Donald Trump won the 2024 elections with more than 290 electoral votes, thus crossing the 270 mark.