WASHINGTON ― President Joe Biden plans to attend the inauguration of his successor in January, regardless of whether it is Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump who wins next week’s election, according to a statement from the White House on Wednesday.

“This president supports the notion of a peaceful transfer of power, and that’s exactly what you can expect him to demonstrate,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

Typically, outgoing presidents attend the swearing-in ceremony of their successors at the Capitol, but Trump disrupted this tradition during the last inauguration.

After losing a heated contest against Biden—a loss he still claims was unjust—Trump opted not to go to Biden’s inauguration. He left the White House just before the ceremony, taking a helicopter out of Washington.

According to Jean-Pierre, Biden understands the American people’s desire to witness a smooth transfer of power.

“This isn’t just about him; it’s about the American people,” she emphasized. “He gets the importance of a peaceful transition, and that’s what you can expect from him.”

Participating in the new president’s inauguration is a crucial element of that transition, Jean-Pierre mentioned, “and he is definitely going to be there.”

Recent polls indicate that Harris, the Democratic nominee, and Trump, the Republican challenger, are currently in a very tight race.

Biden initially anticipated being the Democratic nominee but stepped back from running for a second term in July, endorsing Harris amidst concerns about his ability to defeat Trump.

Biden has consistently described Trump as a danger to democracy, citing the latter’s refusal to acknowledge the 2020 election results and the violent Capitol riots by Trump supporters in an attempt to overturn those results on January 6, 2021.