Trone says Biden’s inauguration ‘felt like a weight being lifted off your shoulders’
Credit: Bethesda Beat, Dan Schere
U.S. Rep. David Trone (D-Md.) said being at President Joe Biden’s inauguration in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday “felt like a weight being lifted off your shoulders.”
Trone, a Potomac resident who represents Maryland’s Sixth Congressional District, was among the members of Congress who attended Wednesday’s ceremony. Trone’s wife, June, was with him.
Members of Congress were allowed to invite only one guest this year to reduce the size of the crowd, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trone said everyone who attended had a negative COVID-19 test result in the last 48 hours. He said the chairs were adequately socially distanced, although there were times when attendees stood too close to each other while chatting.
“I think everybody realizes that we need to keep better on distancing,” he said.
Trone said he was encouraged by Biden’s roughly 20-minute speech that emphasized the importance of unity and civility amidst a number of crises the country faces, such as the pandemic and the economic downturn.
He also emphasized the importance of a change in tone from former President Donald Trump.
“I mean after four years of craziness, to have a real adult, really have a really compassionate, competent individual in the White House …. His speech was really excellent,” Trone said.
Trone said he is excited about a number of commitments Biden has made to reverse decisions of the Trump administration, including his executive order on Wednesday for the United States to rejoin the Paris climate agreement, which is focused on curtailing global warming.
Trone said he is also pleased that Biden has committed to upholding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which protects immigrants who came to the United States as children from deportation.
“With President Trump, the need is to move fast and reverse some of the dangerous things that he did. President Biden’s doing that,” Trone said.
The congressman added that he is also pleased that Biden was preparing to sign an executive order requiring facemasks to be worn on federal government property, and was calling on all Americans to wear masks for the next 100 days.
“These are big things, yet they’re simple things. Masks, distancing. That’s how we’re gonna stop this explosion of death that has rained on us,” Trone said.
Trone said he has met Biden more than once, including at a fundraiser Trone hosted in his home during the 2020 presidential campaign.
“He’s who you see. He’s just down to earth,” he said.
“When you talk to Joe Biden, you just get the straight scoop, and he’s real. I think he’s gonna be a wonderful president.”
