Pence not scheduled to attend Trump departure at Joint Base Andrews

Vice President Mike Pence does not plan to attend the official sendoff Wednesday for President Trump at Joint Base Andrews, just outside of the nation's capital.

The Office of the Vice President on Tuesday released Pence’s schedule for Inauguration Day, Wednesday, which did not include a stop at the base from which Trump is scheduled to depart in the morning for his home in West Palm Beach Florida, Mar-a-Lago.

A person familiar with Pence’s schedule told the Associated Press that “logistical challenges” prohibited the vice president from getting from the base to President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration ceremonies in downtown Washington, D.C. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss scheduling decisions.

The schedule shows Pence attending Biden’s inauguration but does not include a time. 

Pence is expected to be returning to his southern Indiana hometown after the inauguration.

The Indiana Republican Party says Pence, a former governor of the state, and wife Karen are expected to attend Biden’s inauguration and then fly to Columbus Municipal.

Trump and Pence’s relationship has purportedly been strained since Trump tried to pressure his vice president into stopping the election certification for Democrat Joe Biden to become president.

Trump will be only the fourth president in the nation’s history not to attend his successor’s inauguration, according to the wire service.