WASHINGTON – Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has confirmed through her spokesperson that she does not plan to attend the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump on Monday, according to YSL News.

While her office has not specified the reasons for her absence, she joins a number of other Democrats choosing to skip the event following a contentious election season where Republicans gained control of the White House along with both chambers of Congress.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a Democrat from Texas and a prominent critic of Trump, previously stated to YSL News in December, “I won’t pretend to normalize who or what he stands for.”

This inauguration coincides with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, prompting several lawmakers to participate in local commemorative events instead of attending the ceremony in Washington.

“I’ll be in town with my constituents honoring Dr. King’s legacy,” said Rep. Ayanna Pressley, a Democrat from Ohio. “I don’t believe my presence there serves that purpose.”

Nevertheless, some Democrats, especially those from areas that leaned towards Trump in the last election, intend to attend the inauguration, despite their political differences with the incoming president.

Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Democrat from Georgia, has expressed his intention to attend, noting, “I think Georgians expect me to be there.” Similarly, Sen. Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona, has said his attendance was always assured: “I think it’s a responsibility.”

Pelosi and Trump have had a fraught relationship over the years. A notable incident occurred in 2020 when she famously tore up his State of the Union address. Following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, she labeled him a “domestic enemy.” Trump, in return, has called Pelosi a “nasty, vindictive, horrible person” and has mocked her husband after he was assaulted in their home in San Francisco.

Savannah Kuchar and Sudiksha Kochi contributed.