Giuliani says he won’t be on Trump impeachment defense team
Trump was impeached by the House for a second time last week.
President Donald Trump is slated to hand over control of the White House to President-elect Joe Biden in three days.
The House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump last Wednesday on an article for "incitement of insurrection" for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol -- making him the only president to be impeached twice.
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Vice President Pence spoke with Vice President-elect Harris
Vice President Mike Pence spoke with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on a call Thursday, sources familiar with the call told ABC News.
The news was first reported by the New York Times.
-ABC News’ Molly Nagle, Justin Gomez and Katherine Faulders
How Trump plans to leave the White House
Sources told ABC News that Trump has requested a large sendoff hours before President-elect Biden takes the oath of office Wednesday.
Sources say Trump plans to depart the White House next Wednesday morning, choppering via Marine One to Joint Base Andrews where he is expected to give remarks to supporters and departing members of his administration.
Sources add that Trump has requested the event to have a "military-like feel" though details are still not finalized. The president will then fly down to his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida onboard Air Force One with a small number of staffers who will be part of his post-presidency operation, according to the sources.
-ABC News’ John Santucci and Katherine Faulders
DC mayor says National Mall will be temporarily closed for Biden’s inauguration
During a news conference Friday, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the National Mall is temporarily closed to the public through at least Thursday.
Thirteen metro stations inside the security perimeter will also be closed.
Bowser said the National Mall closure came at the request of and in cooperation with the Secret Service and the National Park Service.
The mayor urged Americans to enjoy the inauguration virtually from home this year.
She also discussed the city’s beefed-up security ahead of the inauguration but told D.C. residents she doesn’t expect the security measures currently in place to last too long after Biden takes office.
-ABC News’ Kenneth Moton
Nomination hearing for Avril Haines postponed
The nomination hearing for Biden’s pick for director of national intelligence, Avril Haines, has been postponed. It was originally scheduled for Friday.
A joint statement from Senate Intelligence Committee Acting Chairman Marco Rubio and Vice Chairman Mark Warner on Thursday confirmed the postponement. It did not give specific reasons, but referenced the “unusual circumstances on Capitol Hill.”
Rubio and Warner added that they "look forward to holding a hearing next week" for Haines, but did not list a specific date.
-ABC News’ Allison Pecorin
Enhanced security measures across Capitol ahead of Biden's inauguration
Ahead of Biden's inauguration and in the wake of last week's attack at the Capitol, the United States Capitol Police (USPS) has enhanced security measures across the Capitol Complex, including adding fencing and making several street closures until further notice, the agency announced Thursday.
"Be advised that the U.S. Capitol Complex is closed to the public, and the Capitol Grounds will not be accessible to the public on January 20, 2021. Anyone attempting to unlawfully gain access to the Capitol Grounds by climbing a fence or any other unlawful means will be subject to an appropriate use of force and arrest," the USPS said in a statement.
Workers were seen installing barbed wire on security fencing surrounding the Capitol on Thursday afternoon as National Guard troops, some armed, patrolled the area. As National Guard troops continue flowing into the area, there are currently over 7,000 currently stationed in Washington with that number expected to grow to 20,000 over the weekend.
-ABC News' Jake Date and Luis Martinez