President Trump on Wednesday awarded the National Medal of Arts to five people, including country singers Toby Keith and Ricky Skaggs, and the National Humanities Medal to two people and a museum, the White House said Thursday.

Trump awarded the medals as the House voted to impeach him.

Keith is a supporter of Trump’s who performed for the then-incoming president at a 2017 inauguration-eve “Make America Great Again Welcome Celebration and Concert” at the Lincoln Memorial. Skaggs is also a Trump supporter who endorsed him in 2016.

One of the humanities medal recipients, Kay Coles James, is the president of the conservative Heritage Foundation.

The museum that received the humanities award was the National World War II Museum in New Orleans.

-ABC News' Ben Gittleson

Director of the White House Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Peter Navarro, in an interview with Fox Business Thursday, blasted the House's impeachment vote as a "travesty" and blamed the Democratic Party for the country's violence.

"The Democratic Party did violence to this country by attacking a president, who I believe was legally elected on Nov. 3," Navarro said. "I would say to these people on Capitol Hill, knock it off, stop this. Let the man leave peacefully with his dignity."

The false and unsubstantiated belief that the presidential election was stolen from Trump played a large role in driving some of his supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol last week in a siege that left at least five people dead and Trump impeached for a second time.

Navarro went on to predict if the election were held again "today," Trump would be elected, and added, "If he runs in 2024, he will be elected then."

-ABC News' Elizabeth Thomas

There is a preliminary plan to close the entire National Mall to the public for Inauguration Day amid security concerns, ABC News has confirmed.

The Washington Post was the first to report on the development, but The National Park Service has said it will make an announcement on the Mall following ongoing discussions with the Secret Service, the Biden Inaugural team and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.

Traditionally, members of the public gather on the National Mall -- bookended by the Capitol building and Lincoln Memorial -- for viewing of the inauguration on large jumbotrons.

But the Mall's potential closure comes in the wake of a violent seige on the U.S. Capitol building last week, which left at least five people dead, and amid heightened security concerns regarding armed protests being planned ahead of Biden's inauguration on Jan. 20.

Security preparations for next week have already increased with up to 20,000 National Guard troops authorized to provide security at the Capitol and around Washington, D.C., for next week's ceremony, according to a Defense Department official.

Bowser has already warned visitors to stay away from the District for the inauguration due to threats of both the coronavirus pandemic and of violence.

Editor’s Note: A previous version of this post reported that the entire National Mall would be closed to the public for Inauguration Day amid security concerns. The text has been updated to reflect the fact that the closure is only a preliminary plan.

-ABC News' Dee Carden and Josh Margolin

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, has announced he will attend Biden’s inauguration after weeks of attacks from Trump for signing the certification of Arizona's election results affirming Biden's narrow win in the state.

“It doesn't matter who you supported in the election — once the election is over, we put country before party. Never has it been more important than right now to observe these traditions for the whole world to see," Ducey said in a statement Thursday.

"I was honored to represent Arizona at the inauguration of President Trump in 2017, and I am honored to represent our state at the 59th Inaugural Ceremonies next week. President-elect Biden is assuming office at a critical time in our nation’s history, and I wish him well," he added.

The Arizona Republican Party is scheduled to meet a few days later on Jan. 23, when members will vote on censuring some apparent party foes including Ducey, Cindy McCain and former Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz.

-ABC News' Meg Cunningham

While House Democrats take action to remove Trump from office after he encouraged supporters to march on Capitol Hill last week.

Trump on Monday plans to award the Presidential Medal of Freedom -- the nation's highest civilian honor -- to GOP Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, his longtime defender, in a closed event, something not the event not mentioned on his schedule, a White House official said. Later in the week, he's expected to bestow the same honor on New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.

Sources told ABC News over the weekend the White House is building out a week of programming to highlight Trump’s record over the dwindling days of his administration, despite amplified calls for Trump to resign or risk facing a second impeachment. Appearing to dismiss those calls, Trump has a trip planned for Tuesday to Texas to showcase the border wall he's pushed hard for, and is expected to host events in the next week to highlight what sources say are the administration's achievements in areas including foreign affairs, business and pandemic response.

The president was angry for much of this past weekend -- mostly about Twitter permanently suspending his account on Friday, according to sources who have spoken directly to Trump. Sources said the president is expected to depart Washington before Biden takes the oath of office on Jan. 20.

While Biden said last week it’s a "good thing" Trump isn’t attending his inauguration, he hasn’t said whether he supports impeaching Trump, deflecting that decision to Congress instead. Biden's said he wants the incoming Congress to focus on his Cabinet nominations and pandemic relief from the onset, but an impeachment trial in the Senate risks preempting the rest of its business.

On Monday, Biden is slated to meet with transition and economic advisors and will publicly receive the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine from Wilmington, Delaware, in the afternoon.

-ABC News Chief White House Correspondent, John Santucci and Katherine Faulders